


Holby One: A Star Wars AAU Story

by elitryalittle



Category: Holby City, Star Wars
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, CampWolfe, F/F, F/M, M/M, berena - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2018-06-22
Packaged: 2018-09-28 07:13:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 69,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10079054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elitryalittle/pseuds/elitryalittle
Summary: This work is based on a prompt from @refreshingly-original (Ro), which you can find in the notes of the first chapter.Master Berenice Wolfe and her Padawan, Dom Copeland, have been recalled from the Outer Rim to aid Master Hanssen at the request of Bail Organa to protect one of Alderaan's last great healers, Serena Campbell.  Serena has temporarily assumed Senate duties for Alderaan to maintain provision of basic human services across the Core Planets, while Bail Organa begins the task of building a rebellion with Ahsoka Tano to resist the violence of Emperor Palpatine's regime.  Senator Campbell has been working with Dr. Chonyo, a gifted Imzig scientist, to provide research assistance and intelligence gathering for the Alliance.  Their work has provided a much-needed advantage for Jedi to move undetected across Imperial Space and within the heart of the Galactic Empire.  If there is to be any hope for the Alliance, or a future for the Jedi, Master Wolfe must guard the Senator's life and work while confronting the threads of darkness within herself as she questions her own attachments, fears, and longings.





	1. Assignment

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt from Ro: "In a world where being a Jedi means giving up any notions of falling in love, one Master must fight to stay focused on the mission, if only said mission wasn’t protecting the Senator and Healer of Holby Medical Station, Seréna, one of the last human healers. Senator Seréna wasn’t one for worrying about the many threats against her life until she received one from the brother of a patient she couldn’t save in the shape of the destruction of her convoy. Now she must be guarded by one of the best Jedi Knights, Master Wolfe. Now if only she could focus on the debate she is to speak at and not the messy curls of her guard."
> 
> The story occurs between Episodes III and IV of Star Wars, which is sometime between 19-13 BBY (roughly coinciding with the beginning of Rogue One).  As Supreme Chancellor, Palpatine (Darth Sidious) manipulated the Republic to its destruction, amassing wealth and military power to become Emperor of the Galactic Empire.  The majority of Jedi have been hunted and killed by Order 66 or at the hands of Darth Vader, though small cohorts remain hidden throughout the galaxy. One such effort is directed by Master Henrik Hanssen who remains in communication with Jedi Masters Obi Wan Kenobi and Yoda though they have fled into exile.

"So, what you're saying is, a relationship is fine, as long as there's no attachment?" Dom persisted, much to his master's chagrin. 

"I think that you are missing the point, young friend," Master Wolfe replied, her eyes narrowing on an object in the distance.  The wind picked up on the ridge where they had taken a break.  Radiant hues cascaded from the sun as it set against the mountain range in the distance, a mosaic of greens, yellows, and browns splayed before them in the agricultural landscape that dominated the valley below. 

"After all," she continued, her tone lightening, "You won't need to worry about anyone attaching themselves to you if we don't get rid of that smell." 

She jumped up from her perch on the large rock, avoiding Dom's expression of mock offense.  Though she was decades his senior, Master Wolfe was nimble as any Jedi Guardian Dom had ever seen, and he could barely match her pace as he followed her down the steep incline towards the signal below.  

"The thought of a shower is too decadent to entertain," he laughed, "and I'm not the only one who smells."  He shifted the heavy pack he carried to his other shoulder, taking care not to bend the slender antenna that jutted out from the drone's side. 

Master Wolfe cast a quick smile over her shoulder, wishing she could entertain the thought of a hot bath.  The weeks and months exploring planets along the Outer Rim had led to good results, but it felt like a grain of sand under a desert of woes.  She knew Dom's good nature was a gift, no padawan she had ever met had such good grace under such trying circumstances.  Her throat tightened as her mind added: _or ever will meet_.  She cleared her throat, and picked up her speed.  She would give him as much time as she could to rest at the Xasei Junction, he had earned the simple luxury of feeling clean again.  

Upon their arrival at the Junction, Dom handed the pack to his Master and tucked a protein stick in her hand.  "Don't forget to eat, " he reminded, "I'll see if there are any rooms left." He was rewarded with an awkward smile, as Master Wolfe gave his shoulder an affectionate squeeze, and turned towards the drop location, her navy robes swirling behind her.  

Making her way through the waning markets, Bernie Wolfe shifted her robe to cover the pack, not wanting her prize to attract any unnecessary attention.  She and Dom had thwarted the Sith drone for weeks, keeping it as far from Tatooine as they could without giving any indication of their motives.  She had no idea what Obi Wan was protecting, but she knew that there were more than moisture farms and sandcrawlers on the planet's surface.  

The orders to drop the drone had come in late last week, and the trip to Dantooine had taken a few days.  She was a few hours early for the rendezvous, but knew she would not wait.  She sensed her contact's presence in the cantina a few hundred meters ahead.  Parting the entry curtain to one side, she let the smells and sounds of moonshine and raucous laughter wash over her as she scanned tables along the periphery.  She approached the lean figure in the far corner with a smile, "Master Hanssen."  Standing to his full height, Hanssen towered over her, extending his arm to clasp hers, a tight smile on his face the equivalent of exuberance on any other.  

She handed him the pack with a nod, and watched him tuck it carefully against the mud wall before inviting her to join him on a worn wooden bench. Breaking convention, he poured a double shot of clear liquid into waiting glasses and then poured another on the floor.  Bernie raised her glass to meet his and tossed back the shot, closing her eyes and pressing the back of her hand against her lips as the alcohol seared her throat.  

"Master Wolfe," he started, "Your success brought a much needed win for our weakened Order." Bernie's smile now reflected Hanssen's, her mouth tight at the corners, her eyes hinting at the depth of their shared sadness.  

"It was the least I could do," she paused, "Felt good to finally put all that time in the Outer Rim to good use." 

Hanssen nodded, "Your knowledge beyond the Western Reaches has been invaluable, though I do fear that you have been out of the Core for far too long."  He weighed his next words carefully, "However, your long absence may have created a useful opportunity." 

Bernie raised an eyebrow, looking through the blonde fringe strewn messily across her eyes, "How so?" 

"We have received a formal request from Senator Bail Organa, who is working to secure relationships that will ensure the survival of the Alliance." 

Bernie barked a laugh, "Certainly the Senator has no use for my political skills," she stated as she grabbed the bottle to pour another round, "Wasn't our last conversation focused entirely on your disdain for my disregard for protocol?  I believe your exact words were 'un-Jedi-like'." 

Hanssen's gaze shifted subtly, and he leaned forward, voice lowered, "We have entered times in which protocol has been wielded as a weapon of the enemy, the many-tentacled arms of bureaucracy suffocating the voice of the people."  He waited, letting his words sink in.   "Not only are we adjusting to the new order, but our diminished presence requires that we operate on Coruscant only when circumstances allow for our members to remain undetected." 

Bernie reacted, "But how? How in the world can we support the Alliance at the heart of the Imperial Center when a Sith Lord walks openly among us?" 

Hanssen saw the edge of fear in Master Wolfe's eyes reflected in his own, which surprised them both. He took a sip from his glass and regained his composure. "We are fortunate that the Empire values science and technology as highly as it does. Research has not yet experienced a purge.  As we speak, a gifted young scientist is working with one of Alderaan's last healers to create what they are calling a Force Veil. From what I understand, their technology will mask all but the most powerful shifts in the Force, allowing Jedi to walk among the Sith undetected."  

Bernie's eyes widened at the news, the revelation replaced quickly with dawning realization. She leaned back, "You need someone who can walk undetected on Coruscant, unrecognized by face or by Force." 

Hanssen nodded in approval.  "Your stubborn refusal to do the Council's bidding has turned into our good fortune. I doubt there is anyone on Coruscant who would recognize you." 

Master Wolfe's eyes clouded, brow furrowed and lips turned, as she slowly swirled the clear alcohol in its glass, "Not anymore," she mused and then drained the glass.  

Hanssen's gaze softened one last time as he pushed a wrapped object towards Bernie.  "A young child found this and returned it to Master Yoda before he left. I believe Master Windu would have wanted it in the hands of his most difficult apprentice." 

Bernie tugged the parcel string, pulling back the fabric. A worn silver handle appeared in the dull bar light.  She rubbed her thumb against the metal, remembering the last time she saw its purple blade.  Blinking back tears, she uttered a "Thank you, Master Hanssen," and then, "What is my objective?"  


	2. Alliances

"I'm sorry, Bail, but you've asked for what?" Serena Campbell's voice raised to match her indignation, dark eyes shining, defensive posture clear even through the hologram.  

"Serena, after last week's attack on your convoy, I don't see that there are any other options. We don't have much time with this encryption, so it's critical that you confirm that you will meet with Raf and his associates at the designated location." 

"Why on Alderaan would you prioritize my safety over those who have worked so hard to protect the vulnerable? The risk we are asking them to take." Serena continued, until Morven placed a hand on her arm and caught her gaze.  She paused to acknowledge the Ambassador's gesture, and took a deep breath.  

"Alright, alright, we will prepare the tech and meet at the rendezvous, but I will not miss the sector meeting on Core food insecurity.  Our delegation is the last advocate for any shred of remaining decency on the part of the Imperial Senate." 

Bail Organa waited patiently for his colleague to finish.  

"One last thing, Bail." Serena continued, "If we're still encrypted, that is." He nodded.  

"How is she?" Serena sought some reassurance from holographic eyes, "Has she taken to Breha?  Is she thriving?" Serena could still remember the small bundles she had placed into the hands of Bail and Obi Wan, unaware of the full weight of their decision.  

"She is healthy and strong, Serena." Bail continued, "She carries your blessing, I can see it in her eyes." 

Serena let out the breath she did not realize that she had been holding.  "I'm so glad, Bail." Serena paused, "And I understand that we must speak of it no more."  He nodded once again, and gave a small bow before the transmission ended abruptly.

"Encrypted no more," Serena muttered while shaking her head.  The timing of their communications was getting shorter and shorter.  She cringed to think of the rate at which Imperial counter-technology was advancing.  

If she was honest with herself, she wasn't adjusting very well to her new life on Coruscant.  She had visited the planet many times throughout her life for conferences and hearings, but she had never stayed in the political bubble for this length of time.  It wore on her.  She couldn't blame Coruscant though, for it was beginning to feel as though the entire galaxy had been subsumed by the bubble.  Each day brought a new edict, some new violence, or the ongoing normalization of a political landscape that eroded the parts of society that she held most dear.  It was very likely that she would feel similarly wherever she went at this point.  It was impossible not to wonder if she would still wake before the sun each morning with anxiety in the pit of her stomach had she stayed on Alderaan.  Of course, she was on Alderaan the day Order 66 had been implemented, and her anxiety had taken hold of her that day in brand new ways.  She remembered waking up in despair, her cheeks wet. She didn't know you could cry while sleeping. The galaxy had shifted, and she was unable to change that fact.  At least her interim position on Coruscant allowed her to channel her anxiety into action. Although her influence was limited, she was not helpless. 

Her musings were interrupted by Morven's offering of jagob root tea.  

"Thank you," she said ruefully, "What I wouldn't give for a cup of coffee right now." 

Morven returned a sympathetic smile with a small shake of her head that resonated with the soft chimes of beads draped from her headdress. p 

"If it weren't for the efforts of your delegation, we would want for more than coffee," Morven said. p  

Serena sighed with a nod as she sipped her tea in resigned agreement.  In just a few short months, she and every other delegate had watched intricately balanced planetary agreements fall into complete disarray.  The widespread militarization at Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's hand and destruction of the Jedi Order had set off panic, galaxy-wide.  Supply chains had shut down seemingly overnight.  Food, medical supplies, and basic goods were at a premium, and the most vulnerable were the worst to suffer.  p 

As a Senator, it frightened her.  Though she refused to normalize outrageous policies that stripped away generations of civil rights, protections and inter-species agreements, she had seen the political effectiveness of the regime's propaganda and brutality. She had watched fellow Senators betray what she had formerly believed to be deep-seated values in order to grasp at the wisps of power that still remained, or to advance their planet's interests. It still surprised her how quickly they had all swallowed the new structure, and she found herself to be one of the few who still publicly grimaced at Palpatine's new title of Emperor. As a healer, it all evoked deep fury that she found almost impossible to contain.   She had been instructed to limit her medical practice to the private sessions with Dr. Chonyo, but she had not been able to stop herself from helping that boy on the street.  She understood the risks of exposing her abilities within the Imperial Center. She knew herself though, and that knowledge left her with no choice. The boy's small features had become angular from his hunger, and his malnourishment rendered ineffective the bacta she had been able to procure. When she channeled her energy to reach out to him, he had already gone. Serena still remembered the look on the face of the boy's brother as he greeted them at the door. Morven's facilitator had insisted on carrying the boy to his home.  She wondered if her fury had matched what burned in the young man's eyes.  

Since that time, Serena would use those hours before the sun rose to coordinate medical services across the poorest communities.  They had to implement guerrilla-styled medical treatment on Coruscant and surrounding Core Planets, deploying unsanctioned services before Palpatine's troopers could respond.  She would occasionally travel with a small convoy to the day's chosen district, but changing circumstances made it more and more difficult.  She hadn't been back out since the attack on the convoy last week, and she saw how it had shaken some of her colleagues and staff.  As much as she resented being told that she needed protection, she also knew that she would be naive to believe that she did not become a bigger target by the day. 

In the midst of it all, the hardest part of her new life was the disconnection she felt from the Force. Her practice as a healer had tethered her to the Force each day. She knew that her commitment to healing had a selfish side. Serena Campbell knew she was no Jedi, but her innate healing abilities exceeded those that could be developed with meditation and practice alone.  Having dedicated her life to honing those abilities, her skills were unmatched on Alderaan.  How she had evaded detection by Imperial forces prior to the Veil was a mystery to her.  Perhaps Bail was right, sometimes the ego creates blind spots that allow treasure to be hidden in plain sight.  

The door to her office opened, and a hooded figure entered. The guest offered Naboo greetings to Morven, who bowed gracefully and left the two of them alone as per protocol.  The figure approached Serena, initiating an Imzig greeting reserved for the Senator.  Removing zir hood, zie raised a hand to Serena's temple and whispered, "May you share your wisdom."  Serena placed her hand on Dr. Chonyo's heart in reply, "May it fuel our survival."   

Though Serena had thought the ritual to be too intimate at first, her relationship with the Imzig scientist had deepened to the point where such exchange felt natural and welcome.  This had produced unintended difficulties when it came to hiding their professional relationship, as no one was to know that the two were on speaking terms, let alone using a traditional Imzig family greeting.   

Dr. Chonyo was an Imperial contractor, working directly for Director Krennic on classified research.  Krennic's style of management had increasingly included threat to family and livelihood of the scientists he 'recruited'. The Empire demanded that Chonyo use zir expertise in midi-chlorian life cycles to weaponize biochemical signal disruptors to effectively neutralize a Jedi's connection to the Force.  The moment Chonyo was forced with desecrating zir life's work, zie committed to the rebellion. For every manipulation designed by the Empire to use zir insights towards harm, zie would co-create a counter-measure with Serena.  Their secret sessions had started as a tit-for-tat strategy, but recent months had yielded incredible new possibilities, as they developed approaches to circumvent the ever-increasing surveillance and hostility of the authoritarian state.  

The newest technology for Force Veiling had emerged unintentionally, while they were discussing how to avoid Guardian Ra'lah.  As a Kel Dor warrior, Ra'lah had exceptional abilities of perception, that captivated and terrified Chonyo.  He was regularly involved in the Imperial briefing sessions zie would lead.  Ra'lah would sit quietly at the end of the conference table for the entire briefing, offering sharp critique of the work just before the meeting concluded.  He was able to find weaknesses with unnerving accuracy.  Chonyo was certain that Kel Dor sensory organs were enhanced by midi-chlorian activity, but zie had no way of testing zir hypotheses.  In a panicked moment, zie blurted to Serena, "I wish that I could hide myself from him."  And so, the seed for Force Veiling had been sown.  

While they were still uncertain as to its effects on the Kel Dor, preliminary tests of veiling technology had proved effective with Jedi volunteers.  The first iterations had focused on Chonyo's understanding of cell biochemistry, but Serena's contributions had led to an integrated, biochemically-calibrated, sonic device.  Using chemical signalling concepts, the integrated device combined a series of biosensors with chemical tracers to identify an individual's midi-chlorian signature, their Force thumbprint, so to speak. Using this data, a Veil device emitted biochemically-unique vibrations that effectively muted the ripples a Force-sensitive individual made without eliminating their abilities.  It had a similar effect on Serena's signature, and she had adopted its use. Their prototype had become a fixture in her wardrobe after Chonyo insisted that the Veil should also be hidden in plain sight.  

Today's work with Dr. Chonyo was focused on fine-tuning the design of the transmitter and biological sensors.  The prototype Serena wore mimicked a necklace, and its large size seemed unruly and conspicuous for a Jedi Knight.  They had settled on a wrist brace, the delicate instrumentation shaped into a metal amulet that wrapped around the wrist with a soft leather band.  

"Stylish and sexy," Serena concluded once their work was complete.  Dr. Chonyo nodded in approval with a smile.  "Who said fashion must bow to function?" zie joked with a wink. "When are the next scheduled tests?"  

"I will leave tomorrow after the vote." Serena shared, "I have an appointment with Massa in the morning, and Jason has scheduled a brilliant vacation for my double to distract my fan base."  She continued, "While I'm scraping around a cave, she will be basking in the soft light of a dwarf star on Sonion-3." 

Chonyo's brow furrowed, exaggerated by the bony ridges across zir forehead, "You're still meeting with Massa? I thought that your tests had proved inconclusive." Serena looked up from her work, seeing the clear concern on her colleague's face.  "It's true, we haven't made much progress, but I am unwilling to accept that she is helpless to overcome her biological impulses."  It was rare, after all, for an Anzati to attempt an open lifestyle among other species.  As an apex predator that fed on the life force of other organisms, most of her kind viewed other species simply as prey.  

"Well, please tell her to keep her fangs to herself," Chonyo asserted, "And make sure you're not alone.  Even with the telepathic restrictions we've enabled, she makes me nervous."  

Serena smiled back, hearing the care in her friend's concern.   "I assure you, I have no interest in becoming anyone's prey." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're not familiar with the species that exist in the Star Wars Universe, there are a number of helpful online descriptions, such as Wookiepedia and Star Wars Combine (http://www.swcombine.com/rules/?Races). I have summarized some of the species content they provide into the descriptions below to help the reader. 
> 
> The species mentioned in this chapter include:  
> Imzig (Dr. Chonyo): A long-lived species with a history that was so violent, their culture now embraces diplomacy above all other strategies to ensure peace and stability. These values, combined with ~175 year life span, mean that Imzig can be gifted explorers and researchers. As a humanoid species, the Imzig are easily recognized by the physically distinctive brow ridges that vary from person to person.  
> Anzati (Massa): Also long-lived, the Anzati are a humanoid species with telepathic abilities that feed on the life energy of others, referring to the life energy as "Soup" or "Luck". Notable physical qualities include a long proboscis on each cheek, which is used to feed.  
> Kel Dor (Guardian Ra'lah): The Kel Dor are easily distinguishable from other species due to their large, external, sensory organs and pronounced breathing masks, which are required due to the unique atmosphere of the home planet where they evolved. They are known for their keen observational abilities and quick judgments. Guardians are the warrior class of Kel Dor society.
> 
> Though the species are canon, these three characters are new to this work.


	3. Green and Gray

Once Dom's eyes adjusted to the light in the cave, he was struck by the dramatic beauty of the crystalline stalactites that swept down from the cavernous interior.  The sound of small droplets striking the water's surface echoed across the space as points of light reflected in the pools below.  Dom checked his reflection in between the ripples of the closest pool, hoping his nervousness wouldn't be sensed or seen in his clear, blue eyes.  He could feel his mentor beside him, her presence calm though he could sense her heightened awareness even without using the Force.  

In the years since they had been paired, Dom had gotten to know her tells. Bernie was a keen observer, but rarely shared her insights with him in their early days.  He had spent months discerning her physical responses to glean what information he could.  Their relationship had gotten off to a rocky start when his tendency to gossip exacerbated a sensitive situation for Master Wolfe, escalating it to the Jedi Council's awareness.  As a result, they made the unusual decision to reassign him from the AgriCorps to become her apprentice.  To this day, he was unsure if it was intended to be a reprimand for him or her.  He could still see the twinkle in Master Yoda's eyes as the small, green Jedi addressed them together as the stood in the center of the Council Chamber, describing them as two sides of the same coin.  Well, it was more like: "Of the same coin, opposite sides you are." 

Dom smiled at the memory, but the joy was fleeting as his thoughts shifted quickly to just how surreal that time felt in contrast to recent months.  The Council no longer existed and his cohort had been eliminated.  Bernie had become a central pillar in his life, and their time together in the Outer Rim had changed him dramatically.  She had suggested he begin looking for an appropriate crystal from which to form a lightsaber, indicating her belief that he was ready to progress into knighthood.  Dom pulled on his braid, feeling his stomach tighten.  Who would grant his ascension within the Order?  How would his role change in the resistance?  The thought of striking out on his own in the midst of everything that was happening terrified him.  

At the same time, he was thrilled at the prospect of building a lightsaber of his own, and had been meditating on it since Bernie had brought it up.  He had noticed that she carried a new saber with her since the rendezvous on Dantooine.  Tucked behind her robes at the hip, its distinctive electrum finish was a detail he would have missed in those early days.  Now, he found himself wondering at its significance, trusting that she would share it with him in time. 

The sound of voices ahead signaled that they were the last to arrive. He calmed his breathing to avoid broadcasting to Bernie his own feelings about the meeting.  When Bernie had shared with him that Raf and Isaac would be present to facilitate, he had done his best to conceal the waves of excitement that ran through him. He knew she had seen right through his attempts, which led to another discussion about attachment and the path to the Dark Side.  He struggled to understand how what he was feeling for Isaac could be used for evil, though the horror of Anakin Skywalker's path loomed large in everyone's minds.  Perhaps if Anakin had found a handsome Jedi, Dom considered, things would have been different.  

Before he could reflect on such fantasy any further, Dom was pulled from his thoughts by the lilt and confidence of a woman's voice.  "Raf, I understand everyone's concern, but simply cannot fathom the need for a Jedi entourage."  

Dom saw his mentor's posture straighten, her stride quickening as she walked towards the group, announcing their presence to the senator with a simple, "But we make such fantastic groupies."  She gave Dom a quick wink before the senator could turn to take them in.  Dom barely noticed the subtle change in his mentor's breath, as his own was caught at the sight of Isaac, who stared back openly at him.

****   
Turning quickly to greet the Jedi that approached, Serena's certainty faltered for a moment.  While the accomplishments and eccentricities of General Wolfe preceded her, the senator realized that she had not considered what the presence of her new protector would feel like.  And why should she?  In her role as healer and ambassador, Serena had spent her life around Jedi.  She had always found a sense of comfort in the unique feeling of being near a Force-sensitive individual.  General Wolfe's presence carried many of the familiar feelings, but there was a new shift in the Force that hummed in Serena's chest as the general approached.  She smiled, and stepped forward with her arm outstretched, "You must be Berenice Wolfe, Serena Campbell," she continued quickly, "Welcome to my entourage, General." Bernie reached forward to grasp Serena's arm in greeting, and started to reply.  "Senator-", she paused as she felt a ripple of energy wash over her from their point of contact, her eyes locking with the senator's.  

Serena blinked twice and smiled to hide her surprise, ignoring Raf's expression as the crystal in her necklace glowed.  She dropped Bernie's arm as quickly as she could without offense, pointing towards the navy robes, "Well, General Wolfe, nothing screams "Jedi" like dramatic robes and a lightsaber.  Perhaps we should get you your new attire and then we can setup the Veil?"

Bernie smiled, appreciating the quick transition, uncertain as she was about the residual energy she felt from the point of contact with the senator.  Eyes squinting, she took in the senator's apparel.  Serena had forgone the fluid fashion of Alderaanian draping for the anonymity of soft, pragmatic hemp layers that appeared light blue in the cavern's glow.  The necklace she wore was unremarkable now that it no longer emitted light, though Bernie found herself tracing the senator's neck line with her gaze.  

"Ah, right to business, Senator," Bernie acknowledged, "Certainly.  Before we get too far along," Bernie turned her attention towards Raf with open arms, who smiled broadly and greeted her warmly.  "It's been a long time, friend" Bernie offered, her voice strong as Raf clapped her back.  Serena had not often seen Raf greet someone outside of her family with such sincerity.  

Raf motioned towards Isaac, "Master Wolfe, I believe you have met Isaac." Bernie nodded, clasping Isaac's arm with less enthusiasm, while turning to bring Dom into the greeting. 

"You remember my apprentice, Dom?" Bernie motioned without letting go of Isaac's arm.  She gave a subtle, but forceful, squeeze before letting go, maintaining eye contact.  Dom walked forward with more confidence than he felt, "Jedi di Lucca," he nodded, and then, "Jedi Mayfield".  

Serena broke in to introduce the Naboo Facilitator, "And this is Mr. Fletcher, who has been trusted with attending to the details that will ensure that this all actually works." She turned towards the well groomed man to her right, his pointed beard less distinct than was in fashion on Naboo at the moment.  "Fletch, please show our new Jedi friends where they can lose the robes, and I will start the Veil calibrations."  

With a smile and a shrug, Raf motioned for Bernie and Dom to follow Fletcher towards two piles of clothing, while Isaac lingered to assist the senator.  

Raf looked earnestly at Bernie, "I highly doubt you will be willing to part with your weapons." He gestured to her lightsaber, "So, Fletch had these pouches customized to conceal them." He handed Bernie and Dom soft leather bags, designed to be slung across the chest and shoulder.

"It's not ideal, but with a little practice, you can access your lightsaber with relative ease," he smiled again, pausing, and then, "God, Bernie, it's good to see you." Bernie's eyes lit up, as she smiled in agreement.  

"I didn't realize that you were so well connected," she teased. "You and the Senator go back a ways?" 

"Since childhood," Raf smiled as he looked in Serena's direction, "Our families go back generations, and I was of an age with her younger sister." His expression darkened, "She disappeared when we were very young," Raf continued, "I believe Serena adopted me as her own once we both realized that Freia would not be found."  

Bernie's face fell, "Oh, Raf", she started, but he cut her off before she could say anymore. 

"It was a long time ago, and it's been nice to have a sister who refused to let my induction into the Order end our relationship." He looked in the senator's direction with affection and admiration, "She's persistent and sincere, and her gifts are unparalleled in the Core." 

"So I have heard," Bernie replied, taking in the new information.  She reflected for a moment on the senator's healing gifts and the energy she had felt at their meeting. She had noticed the response of the crystal in the Senator's necklace.  Perhaps it was sensitive to the combination of their talents.  Certainly, she had heard of Force pairings that had synergistic properties.  She filed this observation for later, and returned her attention to the task before her.  

Turning to Dom, she asked, "So, Young Copeland, would you like the green tunic, or the gray?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nickel Creek, 2002, "Green and Gray", This Side (Album), Sugar Hill Records.


	4. The Veil

Bernie tugged at the collar of the green tunic, adjusting the leather strap at her shoulder that held her weapon.  She cast a glance back towards the Jedi who were playfully offering Dom tips on accessing his lightsaber from its cover, as Fletcher tried to demonstrate the use of a modified bacta grenade that the Senator had brought for the Jedi.  Bernie's eyes narrowed as she observed Isaac's clear advances towards her apprentice, though it was hard to begrudge Dom a few moments of elation.  She could sense his excitement, but felt uncertain at the energy emanating from Isaac.   She considered the possibility that her protective instincts towards Dom might be clouding her perception.  

Serena was rustling through a slim metal case that contained a series of devices and supplies.  As Bernie approached, she reached out gently with her mind to get a sense of the healer, realizing that she could scarcely detect the Force in a woman who was renowned for her abilities.  Serena looked up and smiled.  "Not much to sense, is there, General?" 

Bernie's expression gave away her mild surprise, "No, Senator, I'm guessing you have an explanation?" 

Serena ran a finger along the chain of the necklace she wore, pulling the crystal away from her neck and running it back and forth across the length of the chain.  "Our prototype has been shielding my energy since we created it, your device is the next generation of this model."  Serena pulled out one of the Veil bracelets. 

"May I?" she enquired, lifting the cuff towards Bernie who stepped forward. As the distance between them shrank, Serena became aware of the strength that radiated from the Jedi's presence.  The humming feeling had returned to her chest, and she observed the faint glow emanating from her necklace.  Bernie offered her left wrist, and Serena attached the leather band, her hands lingering as her thumb brushed against the Jedi's pulse point.  

The wave of energy was less distinct, but the look in Serena's eyes confirmed to Bernie that she had felt it too. Bernie took a small, awkward step back, clearing her throat, "Is it working?"

"It looks good on you, so that part's working," she teased with a small smirk as she tilted her head, continuing, "It will need to be calibrated to your specific biochemical signature." Serena turned to extract a medstick, gloves, and slim tablet computer from the case.  "We've modified the basic properties of bacta to communicate with your midi-chlorians.  They will produce a chemical signal that helps auto-tune the device." 

Bernie nodded her consent and rolled up her sleeve to receive the bacta shot. Serena scrolled through information on the tablet that had started updating the Jedi's stats from the biofeedback sensors located in the cuff.  Serena looked at Bernie skeptically, "No questions, General?"

"Would my knowledge of the risks change our course of action?"

Serena paused for a moment, taking in the response and the General's apparent resolve.  "I suppose not," she replied, gesturing to Fletcher for assistance, her eyes lingering on the Jedi before yanking them back to the tablet. "There have been some reported sensations during the initial chemical exchange with the midi-chlorians, though we're not yet sure if it correlates to their density."  

"Not a great sample pool to study these days," Bernie muttered.  

"No, I didn't mean..." Serena paused while trying to assess what course of action would most quickly bring her foot away from her mouth, feeling suddenly grateful when Fletcher arrived.  She handed him the tablet and donned the pair of thin medical gloves.  "I want you to be prepared for a bit of disorientation," she said as she picked up the medstick.  

"That seems to be the rule of the day," Bernie shared with a wince as Serena administered the shot and rubbed the spot gently with her thumb while she channeled her energy and intention to the dispersal of the modified bacta.  Within moments, Bernie's pupils tripled in size, and she took a small step back, dropping to one knee.  Serena placed a hand gently on her shoulder, while Fletcher monitored her stats from a respectful distance. 

Dom rushed towards the two women, wide-eyed.  "Master Wolfe?" 

Bernie looked up and waved him back, "It's okay Dom, I'm, I'm okay."   She saw the uncertainty and concern in her apprentice's eyes, and realized that her presence to him was now muted, if it could be sensed at all.  "My abilities do not feel diminished," she observed as a small rock was lifted and hurtled across the chamber. "You cannot sense me?  Dom shook his head.  She took another moment, marked by a deep breath.  Redirecting her attention to Serena, "Apparently, the Veil is working."  Serena cast a glance to Fletcher, who nodded in confirmation. 

Serena turned to Dom with a sympathetic smile and pulled his cuff out of the case, "And now for your Veil, Commander."   As she stepped towards Dom, Bernie jumped up suddenly, shoving Serena out of the way as a blaster bolt struck the rock behind her, scattering the case and its contents across the cave floor.  Bernie tried her best to shake off the effects of the Veil's calibration, lifting the leather pouch flap with her mind and yanking her old mentor's weapon from its case.  The purple blade screamed out into the cavern the moment her hand grabbed the hilt.  

The ground shook with blaster fire in front of Bernie who positioned herself between the direction of the assault  and the Senator.  Her mind registered the sound of three lightsabers springing to life as she deflected several heavy blasts.  She caught the blue glow of Dom's blade in her periphery.

Shifting her position to limit the angles of access to the Senator, she saw Raf barrel towards them as Isaac deflected additional fire. To her horror, she watched a blast catch Fletcher at the shoulder, and saw him collapse before she or Dom could reach him.  "Fletch!" she heard Serena scream.  Bernie looked over her shoulder to see Serena getting quickly to her feet.  "No!" Bernie shouted at Serena, "I will get him!"  Serena retreated, scrambling back and grabbing the scattered supplies.  Racing towards Fletcher's unmoving form, Bernie called back, "Can we leave the supplies?" 

Serena yelled over the sounds of exploding stalactites, "The loss of intelligence would compromise us all!" Bernie glanced back to Dom to signal for his aid, her blade deflecting the oncoming blasts in a flurry of parries.  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dom grab the case and Serena's elbow, guiding the Senator behind a cluster of large rocks.  Bernie, Raf, and Isaac formed a line of deflection, now returning the blasts with greater precision.

Isaac's gifts in Force Sight had been noted by fellow Jedi, and Bernie gave him point to direct the fire back to its source, using the opportunity to heft Fletcher's unconscious form over her shoulder using the Force to support the carry.  White and black armored figures fell in the distance as the reflected blasts found their targets. Items from the case whirled past their heads as Dom grabbed them one-by-one via telekinesis. A mid-air medstick exploded to her right, and Bernie stepped forward to close the hole that had emerged in their line.

"How many do you see?" Bernie called to Isaac.  

"Four squads of storm troopers on the ground, backed up by a squad of shadow troopers on the high ground." Isaac replied, his green blade swinging widely.

"They are blocking the cave entrance," shouted Raf, "You must take the Senator and her aide through the tunnel exit." 

Bernie nodded, realization settling in that she would not be at the front end of this fight. Her lineage had trained her to be the vanguard of an attack, and she abhorred the idea of running. Master Hanssen's orders were clear though, the Senator's life was too valuable to risk unnecessarily. She held Raf's gaze, and shifted Fletcher's weight on her shoulders as she offered stern orders, "You have to eliminate every last one."

He nodded, before signalling to Isaac with one hand.  They broke the line, Bernie retreating to the rocks where Dom and Serena took cover, while Isaac and Raf pushed forward.  

She found Dom in a defensive stance behind the largest rock, scanning the exposed areas, while the Senator appeared to be manipulating the second Veil cuff.  Bernie settled Fletcher's body in a seated position against the rock.  Serena rushed to him, administering bacta and placing her hands on his temples.   

"Can you stabilize him?" Bernie started, stopping short as the healer held up one hand.  She detected a subtle shift around Serena, which would have been a notable beacon of Force energy had there been no Veil.  Serena leaned back, propping her weight against the rock and wiping her brow.  "I think he has a shot if we can get him to my ship."  

Bernie nodded, "Are you alright?" She looked at Serena and then Dom, in turn, sheathing her weapon. 

"We're fine," Serena replied, her eyes laced with adrenaline.  "I cannot say the same for the Commander's Veil."  She held the device for Bernie to see, a large crack ran through the center of the metal sensory array and router.  "It is unlikely that I will be able to repair it with the supplies I have," she informed. "I am unwilling to risk your apprentice's life in the Imperial Center without the assurance of a working Veil."  

Bernie glanced at Dom, processing the new information.  She held his gaze and issued orders, "Dom, you are to go with Isaac and Raf.  Carve your way out of here and eliminate all of the Imperial forces that may bear witness to our identities."  She moved quickly towards him, grabbing his arm tightly in farewell, "Find out how we were betrayed. Signal me when you have information, and I will confirm our arrival to Coruscant."  Bernie placed her second hand on Dom's shoulder, "May the Force be with you."  

Dom's expression reflected that of his mentor in both depth and sincerity, "I will, Master Wolfe.  May the Force be with you." They broke their link, and Dom bounded back into the fray to join Isaac and Raf.  Bernie closed her eyes momentarily, centering herself.  She offered the Senator a hand up, taking the Senator's arm just below the elbow, feeling the strong grip against her own arm.  Bernie paused to read the concern in the other woman's eyes, sending confidence with her own expression until they broke their grasp.  Bernie removed Fletcher's blaster from its holster and handed it to Serena, who took it with a raised eyebrow.  Bernie Force-lifted Fletcher gently to her shoulders to carry him.  

"You and I will find our way back to your ship through the secondary tunnel."   

Serena nodded and gestured towards the tunnel with Fletcher's blaster, "I will lead the way."   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Force Veiling uses canonical constructs of midi-chlorian communication, but I believe the concept is new to this work. Any comments are most welcome to improve its consistency within canon.


	5. Ships

Bernie paused for a moment as they emerged from the tunnel, squinting against the reflection of the snow and ice.  The night had passed while they were in the cave, and the morning sun was bright.  Serena turned to look back, "The ship is just below the ridge," she gestured towards a small glen of alpine conifers below their position.  "There is a small lake beside the glacier," she continued, "Can you carry him that far?" Bernie nodded with a small grunt, adjusting Fletcher's weight and preparing herself mentally for the descent.  She had reached out several times to confirm Dom's presence remained, but the increasing distance made it too difficult to sense him while focusing on the task at hand.  A portion of the tunnel had collapsed behind them as the cavern had been rocked by a larger blast, but there was nothing she could do to help. 

Bernie scanned the area once more and started towards the glen.  Fletcher was still with them, but his breathing was shallow and she could sense that he was weakening quickly.  She kept pace with Serena, and marveled at the Senator's stamina.  Bernie had stopped once for her benefit, but Serena insisted they continue. By the time they made it to the ship, she was warm from the sun and exertion. Serena keyed her code into the access panel, and the cargo ramp dropped slowly.  She rushed up the ramp, Bernie following closely behind her.  

As the interior lights came online, Bernie blinked in surprise, the cargo holds and passenger cabins of the YV-100 had been transformed into a mobile hospital.  As Serena rushed to bring a bed online, Bernie observed surgical droids to one side, and rows of improvised supplies to the other.   Trauma beds lined the edge of the curved interior walls, and a surgical console sat in the center where the gun turret should have been.  She carried Fletcher to Serena and laid him down gently. Serena grabbed a small cart and let it hover at her side as she grabbed a small bacta tank with an attached breathing mask.  She slipped the mask over Fletcher's nose and mouth, opening his shirt to asses the blaster damage.  His skin was charred at the right shoulder, where the blast had penetrated his bicep to the bone.  Bernie could see that Serena's triage work had halted the progression of the burn and that the bacta was already starting to take effect on the healthy tissue.  

Serena hurried to the surgical console, activating one of the droids and tasking it with tendon generation.  Bernie watched Serena return to Fletcher's bed and pull a laser scalpel from a prepped tray on the cart, having donned gloves and a mask on the way back from the console as Bernie had assessed Fletcher's injuries.  She handed a mask and set of gloves to Bernie, and began deftly removing the skin, muscle and tendon that was beyond repair, creating clean lines with the precision of experience.  Placing the scalpel back on the tray, she ran a scanner over his left shoulder, and then across the right.  Bernie knew that the scanner was sending the information to the console, calculating the dimensions for the synthesized biomaterials.  As the surgical robot began its work, Serena created a thick paste from a form of bacta Bernie had never seen before.  Serena gently layered the bacta paste in the most painful looking portions of the wound around the exposed bone as if she were building a mud sculpture. 

The surgical droid arrived with the synthesized tendons and ligaments.  Serena grafted them to the viable portions, working to reconstruct the architecture of Fletcher's shoulder.  Bernie could sense the regeneration that was taking place.  She leaned slightly forward, making eye contact with the healer.  "May I?" she enquired.  

"One moment, Master Wolfe," Serena replied, finishing the final tendon graft.  "I want to slowly build the tissue around the tendons and ligaments before reconstructing the muscle," she explained.  Bernie nodded, placing her hands on Fletcher's left arm and chest.  

The two women began channeling together, and Serena stopped.

"This won't work."

Bernie backed off immediately, "I'm sorry."  

"No, no, no need to apologize," Serena clarified with impatience.  "I can't sense you.  Can you remove your Veil?"  

Bernie's eyes lit with realization and she removed the leather band.  She resumed contact with Fletcher, locked eyes with the healer, and opened her mind to allow Serena to direct their shared intention. Serena paused for a moment and returned her focus to the shoulder, as the bacta paste rejuvenated the tendons and new layers of muscle cells began to form. She carefully applied another, thinner layer of the paste to the new tissues, covering the wound with a layer of sterile padding, followed by a protective cover.  They each closed their eyes, Bernie offering a small blessing to Fletcher before letting go, feeling the ripples of the Force as it was channeled.  It was odd to feel the effects of Serena's work without being able to sense the healer herself.  Bernie looked at the screen adjacent to the bed to see Fletcher's vital signs begin to stabilize, though she could sense their progress.  

Serena took a deep breath, opened her eyes and stepped back. Bernie couldn't be certain, but the healer's breathing seemed uneven, and her cheeks were flushed.

"Thank you, Master Wolfe," Serena started, and Bernie saw the relief in her eyes that they had given Fletcher a fighting chance.  "We have to get him back to Coruscant as quickly as possible."

"Agreed," Bernie nodded, suddenly detecting a dark thread in the Force.  Her eyes widened as she peeled off the surgical mask, grabbing the Veil and slapping it on her wrist.  "Senator, we must leave. Now." Serena tilted her head at the change in the Master's tone, and Bernie saw the dawning realization in her eyes that their work had given them away.  

Bernie ran through the long neck of the ship towards the cockpit as Serena secured Fletcher for flight.  Leaping into the pilot's seat, she glanced out the window as she started flipping switches to engage the engines and rush the launch checklist. She gave her mind a moment to wonder what the chances were that a Sith Lord was in the vicinity, as she slid her tired shoulders into the harness and grabbed the control wheel.  Confirming that the engines were warm enough to make it off the ground, she studied the console.  She hadn't been on a YV-100, but the controls felt similar to the YT-series ships she had flown.  She felt the Senator behind her, the healer's hand grazing the shoulder of her jump seat as she sat in the second chair.

"Do you know how to fly this ship?" the Senator asked, sliding into her shoulder harness.

"Wouldn't be much of a Corellian if I didn't," Bernie replied with a wide grin and a wink, resuming her pre-flight checks. "You?"

"I know how to keep it in the air, General." Serena shot back and glanced out the window.  Her eyes widened, "Oh dear." 

Bernie looked up at the tone of Serena's voice and followed her line of sight out of the cockpit window to see two lambda-class shuttles rising over the ridge.  "Time to go," she yelled over the sound of the engine whine as she pulled the light freighter off the glacier and arced it over the row of trees.  Serena brought the shield generator online, and Bernie pulled gently on the throttle, reaching across the central console to spin up the hyperdrive.  As soon as they cleared the tree line, she pulled the throttle down, the ship leaping towards the outer atmosphere. 

"You've done more than upgrade the cargo bay," Bernie called, jubilant at the speed the small vessel demonstrated.  "Any larger vessels detected beyond the planet's atmosphere?" Bernie called, keeping an eye on the growing distance between the small ship and the shuttles.

"Nothing that the sensors are picking up." As they broke the atmosphere, Bernie entered the coordinates for the intermediate rendezvous point and leaned forward, her hand lingering over the hyperdrive throttle switch. She hesitated, it was clear that the shuttles had broken pursuit. 

Bernie frowned, "How odd." Serena raised an eyebrow in the General's direction, waiting for her to continue. "No pursuit."  She paused, thinking.  "And why send such a weak complement of troops if they had knowledge of our meeting?" 

"They may have simply made a mistake," Serena offered, "Or perhaps their intelligence was flawed."   

"Much as I would like to investigate," Bernie continued, "Returning you and Fletcher to Coruscant must be our priority."  

Serena placed a hand on the General's arm, "I'm sure Young Dom will be well taken care of by Raf and Jedi Mayfield." Bernie smiled unconvincingly as she engaged the hyderdrive, the pinpoints of a thousand stars melting into a blur of lines.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fan art deck plans for the YV-100 can be found online: http://i.imgur.com/mRTbZW6.jpg


	6. The Major and The Eyre

Hours had passed since they had left the planet, and the Jedi Master had settled into the silence of deep space, her mind clearly occupied. Serena decided to leave the cockpit to check on Fletcher, returning some time later with two mugs of tea.  Handing one mug to the Jedi, Serena swiveled the chair to face her co-pilot and sat down, cradling her mug between both hands.

"Thank you," the Jedi started with a tight smile.  

"You're very welcome." Serena replied, "Thank you for saving our lives in the cave." Pausing, she started, "Berenice".  The Jedi looked up quickly to correct her, "Bernie."  

"Bernie," Serena continued, taking a small sip of the tea, an impish gleam in her eyes as she made eye contact with the Jedi.  "Since we're well and truly bound at the hip for the foreseeable future, perhaps you can tell me why you wield Mace Windu's lightsaber."  

Bernie's head tilted back slightly in surprise, as she took in the Senator with a new perspective, "Well, Senator," she paused.  

"Serena, please." Serena gestured for the Jedi to continue. 

"Serena," Bernie began, her voice low, "I was apprentice to Master Windu, and his weapon was presented to me a few weeks ago by Master Hanssen." 

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so presumptuous," Serena took a moment, hesitant to venture any further, "I was under the impression that Master Windu had but one apprentice." 

Bernie's eyes tightened further, her head tilting, as she held the mug to her lips but did not drink.  Pulling it away again, she spoke slowly, "I was not the sort of apprentice a Master is eager to present to the Council."  

Serena could feel the surprise register across her face, and could see that it had not gone unnoticed by her companion.  Bernie laughed, and it occurred to Serena that this was the first time she had seen the woman open up.  "It's not nearly as scandalous as your expression might indicate," Bernie teased, holding the mug with both hands as she leaned forward, tracing the rim of the lip with an index finger.  "I was, shall we say," she closed her eyes briefly, "quite difficult to manage."

"In what way?" Serena prodded with growing curiosity. "If you don't mind that I ask?"

"No, no," Bernie leaned back, "I was independent before I was taken from my family, which occurred somewhat later than most children. Once the Jedi separated the tether from my family, I had little reason to follow any rule or wise suggestion. I became quite reckless."

She continued, "I think Master Windu was fascinated by the prospect of channeling my wildness and Force gifts within the meditative constructs of the Jedi Order as he developed Vapaad," she chuckled at some memory that Serena found herself wishing she would share. "Sorry," she paused, misconstruing Serena's expression for confusion, "Vapaad is a lightsaber form that most Jedi are," she paused again, choosing her words carefully, "unwilling to explore.  Master Windu always encouraged me to use my aggression instead of suppressing it."

Serena had set her tea aside, her arms now crossed, one hand resting against her chin, a single finger across her lips as she soaked in the information.  She tried to picture the Jedi Master reckless and wild, screaming at her opponents with rage.  She couldn't do it.  Tilting her head, a glimmer in her eyes intensified as she asked with a smirk, "Are there any latent anger management issues I should be aware of?"   

Bernie laughed again, and Serena was transfixed.  Bernie shook her head slightly as her lips pursed, "Not anymore." She lifted her mug and took a long drink.  "And you, Senat -, Serena," she countered, "Are there any interpersonal land mines I should be aware of?" 

Serena flashed the Jedi a mischievous smile and leaned forward, "I'm not terribly fond of keeping my thoughts to myself, which the boys in power don't often appreciate." 

"I don't imagine they do," Bernie replied with what Serena would have mistaken as a flirtatious wink had she been with anyone other than a Jedi.  

The communication panel lit up, breaking their exchange with an incoming message.  

Bernie brought the headset over one ear and leaned forward, adjusting reception on the console.  "This is the - ", She turned to Serena, a look of mock surprise plastered across her face, "I have no idea what the name of the ship is." She laughed quietly.  Serena unplugged the headset and leaned into comm, "This is light freighter H-O-L-B, class YV-100."  

 A voice crackled through the  speakers, "Copy light freighter, we have encrypted coordinates to transmit, please update." 

"Confirmed," Serena replied. The console lights flashed, registering the incoming message codes and revised coordinates.  

"They must have gotten our relay about the ambush and updated the rendezvous coordinates." Serena mused.  She input the revised coordinates, beginning new calculations to alter their jump. 

Bernie interjected, "This ship doesn't have a proper name?"  

"I'm sorry?" Serena looked up from her work at the console, a mildly irritated look on her face. 

Bernie continued, "You've got an incredibly fast, beautifully-modified, flying hospital at your disposal, and you're still reading shipyard call letters?"  The Jedi shook her head, half teasing, half serious.  "How can you fly this boat in good conscience?" 

Serena challenged the Jedi, her eyes smiling, "And what would you propose, General?" 

"Something that speaks to her capacities and her crew," Bernie began, pondering for a minute. "On Corellia, our myths describe a goddess of mercy and strength, who chooses the fates of warriors, offering aid and comfort to those who have been injured while fighting the good fight.  Our healers used to make small offerings for her assistance and wisdom with each patient."  

Serena leaned back, enjoying the Jedi's passionate description, "And what is the name of this mystical healer?"

"Eyre," Bernie replied simply.   

"The Eyre it is," Serena declared.

"I'll update command," Bernie said with a grin.  

*****  
They met the Alderaanian delegation at the rendezvous point.  Bernie had to admit that she was impressed, the Alderaanians had worked with their allies to create several mobile spaceports to elude Imperial surveillance.  The spaceport maintained specialized ships and facilitated delegate transfers that the Alliance had interest in shielding from the Empire's view.  

Bernie sidled the Eyre up to its designated airlock and engaged the docking clamps while Serena left the cockpit to prepare Fletcher for transport.  Bernie heard the familiar clank of a successful dock, and the hiss of air as the pressure stabilized in the airlock.  

Just as Bernie had finished shutting down the engines and secondary systems, a young woman walked into the cockpit.  Her dark hair was swept up into a cascade of  tight curls, accented by traditional Naboo beadwork that framed her slender face and dark eyes.  Her gown was simple by her planet's standards for an ambassador, but the brocaded silk indicated her status, its gold shimmer provided subtle compliments to her tawny skin.  

"Master Wolfe."  

"Yes?" Bernie replied,turning to return the greeting, as she stood from the pilot's chair, stretching her shoulders and neck.  

"My name of state is Shreva, but within the delegation please feel free to use my given name, Morven.  Senator Campbell requested that I accompany you to Tantive IV," Morvan bowed her head slightly in greeting.  "The Senator left quickly on the first shuttle to accompany Mr. Fletcher as they settle him in to the medbay on the Tantive.  She wanted to make sure that you were introduced to the ship's captain and crew first thing, so I offered to escort you. I anticipate that she will find us as soon as she is finished."

"Ambassador," the Jedi began, "I am very sorry that your colleague was injured under my care." 

Morven raised her right hand slightly and offered a warm smile, "Master Wolfe, from what the Senator shared with us in our brief exchange, it would seem that she and Fletcher owe their lives to you and your friends."  

Bernie's looked into Morven's eyes, "Has there been any word?"

Morven shook her head, "I'm sorry, Master Wolfe, there was a garbled message on an encrypted channel we do not typically use, but no new information."

Bernie sighed, her expression filled with concern, "I'm sure it goes without saying, but-"

Morven gently cut her off, "The minute we have communication, you will be the first to know."

"Thank you, Ambassador," Bernie replied as she grabbed the pouch containing her lightsaber and slung it across her shoulder.  

"One more thing, Master Wolfe," Morven continued, "The Senator has asked that you assume the title of Major while in her service to deflect any connection with your Order and status. This will allow you to maintain authority on our ships without drawing the attention of a General and Jedi Master"  

Bernie nodded her head in agreement, "A wise suggestion," she said and gestured towards the long corridor out of the cockpit, "Shall we?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Corellian goddess Eyre is based on the Norse goddess Eir 
> 
> Military rank is very difficult to establish in canon for the Star Wars Universe. As these events occur prior to the Battle of Yavin (the destruction of the Death Star), the rank of Major is essentially between Commander and Colonel, providing Jedi Master Wolfe with the authority to command ship captains and ground forces, though not to the same extent as she would have had with her true rank as a Jedi Master/General. http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Major/Legends
> 
> To simplify this story, the rank outlines identified by the Dark Jedi Brotherhood can generally be referenced, though they are not accepted as canon.   
> https://discourse.darkjedibrotherhood.com/t/maa-magistrates-novitiates-dark-jedi-brotherhood/958


	7. Pursuit

Dom twisted gently at the waist, rubbing the spot on his side where the shadow trooper's rifle had caught him mid-tackle.  The three Jedi had spent the last hour chasing down a handful of shadow troopers who had broken ranks and made a run for it, but not before blowing the cave entrance with a thermal detonator.  He couldn't blame them for running, Raf and Isaac alone could have handled four to five times their starting numbers with ease.  The troopers today would have been little more than target practice if not for the tactical advantage they had due to the cave's layout.  The chase through the alpine forests was the more exhilarating experience.  Straightening his torso, Dom looked down at the three shadow troopers who were kneeling on the ground, their arms raised with fingers laced behind their heads.  

It was rare to pursue an enemy, as Jedi philosophy generally emphasized self defense.  If an enemy disengaged and ran, they would most certainly live to fight another day.  While his lineage was decidedly one of the most aggressive among the Order, Master Wolfe had consistently imparted upon him the importance of mercy and compassion.  Unfortunately, it was not possible to let these troopers flee, as the Jedi had no way to tell what the shadow troopers had seen from their sniper positions.  Master Wolfe's current objective was contingent on the subterfuge that she was nothing more than a highly trained officer.  If she could be identified as a Jedi, it jeopardized her and the Senator. 

Dom looked over his shoulder towards Raf and Isaac who were engaged in an increasingly heated exchange about what to do with the captured troopers that Dom was guarding.  He reached out with the Force, enhancing what could be heard.  From what he could make out, Raf had sensed that the shadow troopers were largely unaware of the broader strategy for their attack; they were simply executing orders.  Isaac was unconvinced.  He argued that they needed to execute all three troopers.  

While eliminating the remaining troopers was ethically problematic from Dom's perspective, he found himself in new intellectual territory.  Was it an act of aggression to execute an agent that would disclose details that might put his mentor's life at risk?  These troopers had been willing to fire upon the Jedi, after all. What if releasing them ultimately resulted in the death of the Senator and her work?  From what Bernie had told Dom, the Senator's role was increasingly important in order to protect people from the violence of the Galactic Empire.  Were three shadow troopers worth the potential loss of innocent lives?   

At the same time, if they knew nothing, what threat did these troopers really pose? He had destroyed their helmet cameras and communication links.  Raf had thoroughly examined their intentions.  The planet was beyond most shipping routes, which was one of the reasons it had been chosen for the meeting.  What harm could three stranded shadow troopers cause?  

Dom looked over again to see Raf put a hand on Isaac's shoulder to calm their argument.  Though Isaac allowed it, his eyes were tight and his stare was intense.  Dom returned his attention to the troopers in front of him to avoid the distraction of Isaac's jawline. He noticed that it became more and more pronounced as Isaac's tension increased.  Dom's thoughts were pulled back to moments earlier, when Isaac had held his chin with one hand while applying first aid to a gash below his eye.  Raf was focused on evaluating the shadow troopers.  The wound dressed, Isaac had held eye contact while he ran the length of Dom's cheek with the back of his fingers.  Dom brought his hand to his cheek with the memory, not sure if he was lightheaded from the adrenaline of the chase or the touch or both. 

Raf and Isaac returned to Dom a few minutes later.  The Jedi had agreed to impose a mental block on each of the troopers once they had taken the Jedi to their ships.  The block would functionally erase memories of the day's events.  Dom respected this approach, and felt that it honored his mentor's orders to eliminate the source of the threat while staying true to Jedi doctrine. He noticed that Isaac's demeanor was withdrawn, as he clearly still disagreed with the approach.  Raf gestured to the troopers that they should rise, and instructed them to lead the Jedi to their shuttles.  

The troopers had clearly been trying to scramble back to their ships, as it was a short walk to two, Lambda-class shuttles that rested on a wide plateau.  Master Wolfe's love of ship design had worn off on Dom, who secretly favored the elegant structure of this particular shuttlecraft.  He could remember the first time he saw the characteristic shape of an Imperial Shuttle land on Coruscant, two of its three fins folding along its sides to transform the three-pointed star into a trident.  

"We seem to have a problem of too many ships," Raf announced, "Isaac and I each have a starfighter and Alliance leadership would be thrilled if we gifted them both shuttles."

"Agreed," Isaac nodded to Raf, "Perhaps you can pilot an Imperial Shuttle.  I can tow your starfighter with mine." He turned to Dom, "And what of your ship?" 

"Master Wolfe and I hid the Kite in anticipation that we would both be joining the Senator on her ship."  Isaac held his gaze, as if expecting additional information on where the ship was hidden, but Dom said nothing more.  

Raf ended the moment of silence,  "It's settled then, Dom and I will each pilot a shuttle.  Isaac, we'll run through the launch checklists while you impose the mental blocks.  We can drop you at the starfighters."  

"No need," Isaac responded quickly, "It's not a great distance."  

Raf nodded, "Dom and I will drop the shuttles with the Alliance and secure a starfighter for him.  Meet us on Dantooine?" 

Isaac smiled for the first time, though the intensity remained in his eyes, "See you there, old friend."  He turned to the storm troopers and pulled code keys from their belt pouches, tossing one to Dom and another to Raf.  "Good luck."  With that, he directed the shadow troopers down a trail and out of sight. Dom and Raf each walked to a shuttle.  

"Don't let it get away from you when you make the jump to lightspeed," Raf called to Dom, "We have plenty of time, and these can be a bit tricky for a single pilot." 

"Thank you," Dom replied, recognizing that Raf must have picked up on his anxiety.  He used the code key to unlock the shuttle and walked up the ramp.  He was reassured by the fact that he could not sense the presence of anything on the ship, but it was somewhat unnerving to be alone on an Imperial ship.  Sealing the ramp and heading towards the cockpit, Dom felt a small thread of darkness as if in the distance.  He moved quickly to the cockpit, threw on a headset and established a communication link with Raf, "Did you feel that?" 

Raf's voice broke in, "Yes, Dom.  Ignore what I just said, let's move."  

As Dom rushed through the checklist, he felt a sense of worry constrict his stomach out of concern for Isaac's safety.  Calming himself with a technique Bernie had taught him from the very beginning, he initiated launch protocols and felt the shuttle lurch awkwardly from the ground.  Clearing the edge of the plateau, he engaged the routine to unfold the fins, the sound of the rotors louder than he expected.  He saw Raf's shuttle unfolding its wings out of the corner of the cockpit windows.  As the shuttles gained altitude over a ridge, he looked ahead to see a Corellian light freighter rise quickly from a wooded area along a wide glacier.  With surprising speed, the freighter bolted from its position to the upper atmosphere.  

Raf's voice returned through the headset, "Looks like the Senator is in good hands."

*****  

Isaac looked up and saw the two Imperial Shuttles take flight, his chest heaving.  He holstered his lightsaber at his hip and nudged the helmet in front of him with his foot to move it from his path.  The heads of the shadow troopers had left their shoulders with surprising speed, a testament to his growing strength.  He shook his head as he reflected on the predictable weakness that Raf's concern for the lives of the shadow troopers had produced.  Isaac was somewhat tolerant of weakness in others, but he loathed it in himself.  He was unwilling to compromise everything for lives of no major consequence.  With that, he began to jog down the trail towards the starfighters that waited for him.   


	8. Tantive IV

The Tantive IV was a large transport ship owned by the Organa family and used for Alderaanian  matters of state.  The distinctive shape of the CR90 Corvette class made it easily recognizable, and subsequently, a useful decoy for the Senator's movements. Bernie had always appreciated the design elegance incorporated into Corvette class ships.  Multiple turret arrays along the sleek profile were eclipsed by the massive rear engine bank to balance speed with an impressive defensive armament.   _Fortunately, they kept all of the turrets on this one,_  she chuckled to herself.

As Bernie and Morven exited the airlock, the captain and chief petty officer were waiting for them, accompanied by a gold-plated, protocol droid.  "Major Wolfe," the captain greeted her, nodding to Morven, "Ambassador."

Morven greeted the captain and turned to Bernie, "Major Wolfe, this is Captain Raymus Antilles."

Bernie nodded to the officer and extended her arm, offering a sincere gesture of respect. Though she was the ranking officer in title, she had always felt that a captain deserved the respect of a ranking officer on their own ship.  This was in addition to the fact that Captain Antilles' name was increasingly known across the rebellion.  Antilles' caught her arm in greeting, the stiff, light gray officer's uniform he wore was immaculate, his wide shoulders enveloped in a heavy, dark gray cloak.  

Captain Antilles' broad jaw allowed him a wide smile that reached his eyes, giving light to his rosy cheeks and heavy brow. "Welcome to the Tantive, Major."

He gestured to the woman at his side, "This is my niece and Chief Petty Officer, Corla Metonae."  Corla wore an identical gray uniform, though she wore no rank insignia nor cloak. Her smooth, dark hair had been wrapped into twin buns, tucked at the base of her neck in Alderaanian fashion.  Though her skin was paler than her uncle's, her wide cheeks and long jaw were a clear sign of their relation.  

"A pleasure to meet you both," Bernie began, before the protocol droid jumped in.

"And I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations, specializing in etiquette and protocol."  

Bernie tilted her head and stifled a smirk as she acknowledged the droid, "I've never been much in the way of protocol, C-3PO, I do hope you'll forgive me in advance." 

"I will be happy to educate you in state affairs for the duration of travel to Coruscant, as I have been assigned to facilitate your transition into the delegation," the droid continued. 

"Such an offer," Bernie laughed. "If only you and I had met years ago, I can't imagine the trouble you could have spared me." Turning to the captain, Bernie asked with a grin, "Do you provide such advanced education for every passenger, or just those who so clearly need it?" Antilles cut his own laughter short at a glance from his niece.  

Petty Officer Metonae interjected, "Perhaps, C-3PO can show the Major to her quarters."  She turned to Bernie, "We have scheduled a complete briefing in one hour.  You are welcome to tour any part of the ship, and we have provided light refreshments in your quarters.  If you'll please excuse me, I would like to speak with the Ambassador briefly."  

Morven agreed, and offered a small smile to Bernie before leaving with Corla. Captain Antilles walked with Bernie down the corridor, the protocol droid in tow.  Bernie took the opportunity to connect with the captain. "Forgive my boldness, Captain, but your reputation precedes you.  I understand that you recently ran several Imperial blockades undetected.  I'd much rather spend the next hour hearing those tales and getting a sense of the current strategic use of the transient port we just left."

The captain's smile widened again, "I was never one to sit in my quarters to wait on delegates either. Let me take you to our briefing room, and I'll show you the primary weaknesses that stood out." 

They continued to the bridge over the protocol droid's protest.  

*****   
An hour later, the captain and Bernie made their way to the formal state conference room just above the large operations forum.  As the doors opened to the well appointed stateroom, Bernie realized that she probably should have made some effort to freshen up for the occasion.  The sweeping conference room was centered around a large, circular holotable surrounded by high-backed chairs for the delegates.  A display chart dominated the far wall.   

Bernie and Captain Antilles took seats at the table, joining Morven and Corla, as well as several dignitaries from the planets Chandrila, Duro, and Brentaal.  Within minutes, Serena walked in with Bail Organa and two other Alderaanians who Bernie speculated were high ranking officials on the planet.  Bernie stood with Captain Antilles at the dignitaries' arrival, and felt again that she had underestimated the formality of the briefing.  She was impressed that Serena had managed to transfer Fletcher and transition into professional attire.  The flowing dress she wore blended traditional Alderaanian styles with a higher, modern neckline. Bernie made eye contact with the Senator, who returned her gaze with a slight tilt of her head.  

Bail Organa began the meeting, pulling a chair for himself and Serena as each delegate returned to their seats.  Quick introductions were made around the table, Bernie sharing her rank as Major Wolfe, strategic command within the Alderaanian Guard. Those attending seemed content with her presence and vague introduction.  

"Thank you for meeting us here today," Bail began, "As you have heard, the meeting to test and exchange technology with our allies was assaulted by Imperial forces. The Fulcrum is working to uncover where the intelligence breach occurred.  You will be updated as soon as we have information." 

Serena picked up where Bail left off, "Though ambushed, we were able to complete the objectives with no loss of technology.  We are still waiting to hear from our allies to ensure that no substantial injuries were incurred.  Mr. Fletcher is recovering well, and I anticipate that he will regain consciousness in the next few hours."  Serena picked up a slim electronic notepad from the table and tapped in a few commands.   An array of figures with aggregate data across a variety of test parameters emerged on the display wall, while 3-D schematics of the Force Veil sensors appeared via the holographic projector in the center of the table.  

Bernie examined a few of the trends outlined in the figures as Serena pointed out key findings. "Preliminary tests of the technology were a success, and with additional work, I am hopeful that we will be able to increase the scale of its manufacture for broader implementation."  

This news created quiet murmurs around the table, as Serena continued, "With increased production of the Veil, we will be able to evacuate Force-sensitive individuals out of Imperial strongholds and coordinate military operations that include Force-sensitive individuals willing to join our cause."  She took a moment to let these words sink in, casting a small glance towards Bernie.  

Though she was already familiar with much of the information Serena was presenting, Bernie found herself hanging on the Senator's words.  She quickly realized that during the brief time they had spent together on the Eyre, their interactions had been more personal than she had recognized.  With the new awareness that she would be granted access to a side of the Senator that was not given to just anyone, Bernie began to observe stark differences between the Serena on the Eyre and the leader before her.  

In this professional sphere, Serena commanded the space, and delegates nodded as she spoke.  Had Serena been asked to serve in different times, Bernie could see how her seriousness could have been perceived as overdone.  However, in these moments, her tone struck a chord with everyone in the room.   

"Although the outlook is positive, we must acknowledge that Imperial forces will adapt to our current advantage. It will be an ongoing effort to anticipate and outmaneuver their response." Serena paused with a sympathetic smile, "But doesn't it feel good to have an advantage for once?" Bernie saw several delegates offer sincere smiles that she sensed were filled with relief.  It was as if they had found a small crack in the seemingly impenetrable wall of their opponent.

Bail leveraged the moment by thanking Serena and inviting the delegates to contribute additional resources to their efforts.  He encouraged them to relay the information to their top scientists and operatives, and to continue interplanetary coordination.  

A junior officer entered the stateroom with a quick nod to Captain Antilles, handing a note to Bail.  The Alderaanian paused for a moment to read it, his demeanor shifting as he broke into a smile.  "It would seem that our allies  have made it off the planet with two new Imperial shuttles to offer the Alliance."  This good news was greeted with congratulations around the table.  Bernie caught Serena looking at her with a warm acknowledgement of shared joy, and found herself smiling in return, unable to hide the relief she felt knowing that Dom, Raf and Isaac were safe. 

The meeting continued for the next hour as assets and deployments were discussed, including the importance of reconvening at two upcoming events that promised recruiting and intelligence gathering opportunities for the Alliance.  The delegate from Duro indicated their willingness to facilitate travel if Corellia won the bid to host a series of discussions on food security and trade negotiations.  Bernie noticed that Serena would subconsciously lean forward when the topic shifted to the distribution of humanitarian resources, but found that she was still quite involved in some rather shrewd business decisions that the representatives debated.  

Bernie took note to ask Serena about her involvement in what sounded like pop-up medical clinics, as well as the desire of the allied planets to communicate resistance messages across sectors.  This included cultivating potential speaking opportunities for several key dignitaries.

As the prominence of Serena's position became increasingly clear, Bernie began considering just how she was going to ensure that the Senator was protected.  Hanssen had advised her that Serena was more than just a figurehead that had been put in place for Bail Organa's sabbatical from the Imperial Senate, but Bernie questioned if he had ever seen the woman in action.  She was clearly very intelligent and most comfortable when in control.  These facts, coupled with her clear passion for social justice, indicated that she was not going to be predictable.  

As the briefing drew to a close, Bernie rose with the rest of the delegates, waiting to take her cues from Serena.  The Senator was immediately approached by other dignitaries.  Bail separated himself gracefully and walked around the table, exchanging pleasantries as he went.  He approached Captain Antilles and Bernie.  

"Major Wolfe," he started, "On behalf of the High Council of Alderaan, thank you for the role you have already played in assuring the safety of our Senator.  I understand that the Naboo Royal Advisory Council is equally pleased that Mr. Fletcher is recovering thanks to your carry skills."  Bernie raised an eyebrow and looked over to the Captain quickly, "They train a good fireman's lift in the first year, don't they Captain Antilles?"   He smiled and nodded.  Bernie continued, looking towards Bail, but not at him, "I am happy to offer my service to the Alliance as it works to restore the Republic." 

Bail smiled, "We are grateful for your service, Major.  Should you need anything, please do not hesitate to contact me directly."  Bernie thanked him with a tight smile and a nod.  

Bail redirected his attention to Captain Antilles, "Raymus, I'd like to discuss your next deployment near the Karthakk System." Bernie used the opportunity to take her leave and walk towards Serena.  

As the dignitaries from Doru and Brentaal broke from the small group, Bernie approached Serena who glanced down at Bernie's grimy boots and back up to her eyes. "They said you were house-trained, Major," she said with a small smirk.  

Bernie's cheeks flushed at the jab, averting her eyes from Serena's. "I will endeavor to wipe my boots for all future meetings of state."

Serena placed a hand on Bernie's arm, "Walk me to my quarters, Major?" 

Bernie grinned, "Only if you can help me locate mine." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fulcrum is the codename assigned to Ahsoka Tano and her team of rebels.


	9. Carry

Serena invited Bernie in to her quarters to discuss the next day's logistics, revealing that Bernie's quarters were adjacent to hers.  Bernie supposed that Chief Petty Officer Metonae was comfortable breaking protocol with the room assignment due to the distance from the officer's quarters to the delegate rooms on the Tantive IV.  She laughed to herself as she imagined C-3PO's indignation at the arrangement.

The Senator's quarters had been created by modifying two adjacent rooms into a single suite.  Although Bail had offered the stateroom suite repeatedly, Serena had made it very clear that she was unwilling to supplant him while aboard his own ship.  The improvised suite had a small lounge, with a low sofa and chairs, and a small, round table that centered the room.  

The two women hadn't said much on the walk over, as exhaustion from the past 72 hours was starting to settle in.  Gesturing for Bernie to sit, Serena grabbed a few glasses and a small carafe of water.   Joining the Jedi on the sofa, she poured them each a glass and turned to hand one to Bernie.  As Bernie turned to face the Senator, she winced at a muscle spasm in her right shoulder. Serena's eyes darted from the Jedi's face to her shoulder, her mouth tightening with concern. "Shoulders tight?" 

Bernie sighed softly and looked down with a small shake of her head, "Nothing a proper bed and a bit of meditation won't cure."  Serena set her glass down and walked behind the sofa, resting her hands on its back.  "Do you mind if I speed up the process a bit?" 

"Really?" Bernie looked over her shoulder, and then gingerly slipped the leather holster over her head and straightened her back, tossing the pouch beside her.  "That would be nice," she replied, easing into the back of the sofa.  Serena moved her hands, hesitating briefly.  She had been curious from the moment they had met to explore the humming she had felt in her chest on first contact.  Although she had hoped to discuss it with the Jedi first, her fatigue resisted any further conversation.  As her hands made contact with the Jedi's shoulders, the crystal in her Force Veil produced a small glow, and the humming crept across Serena's chest, like warmth from a shot of aged Corellian whiskey.  

Serena opened herself up to the flow of the Force, feeling for Bernie's presence as if she were looking for the light switch in a darkened room.  They didn't dare risk removing the Jedi's Veil again, though healing Bernie's body was an entirely different task from channeling their shared energy to heal Fletch.  Serena saw Bernie's eyes begin to close as she entered a meditative state, and a thin thread of Force energy became apparent to Serena, like the light at the base of a doorway.  She reached out to that thread, and the light began to expand.  

Serena felt the the unfamiliar energy seep from her chest and expand throughout her core.  The humming extended to her hands, the glow of the crystal in her necklace intensified, and Bernie's breathing slowed.  Serena shifted her attention from the new sensations to the familiar practice of channeling her own energy to the source of pain.  Serena began to massage away the tension in Bernie's shoulders by working with her hands and the Force to identify trigger points and coax them to release.  A small groan escaped the Jedi's throat, as the muscles across her shoulders began to loosen.  Serena felt a rush of energy surge through her at the sound of the Jedi's relief.   

When working with the Force to heal another, Serena had always seen colors that were unique within the energy centers of every patient.  Deep reds permeated the based of the spine at the tailbone, shifting to orange around reproductive centers and sexual organs.  The solar plexus radiated a bright yellow, while the heart throbbed green.  A throat could emit powerful aquamarine tones, while the insights of an invisible third eye at the forehead could produce a deep indigo beam. An individual carried a purple crown above their heads, tethering their life energy to the Force.

Each color served as a guidepost for Serena, helping her tease apart the physical, emotional, and psychological layers of an injury.  If someone was struggling to express themselves, their throat energy could be as dim as if they needed to be intubated for breathing assistance.  The colorimetric distinctions between emotional, physical, and psychological needs were apparent to Serena after decades of study and practice.   

While it was not unusual for the colors to blend in Force-sensitive individuals, Serena found herself overwhelmed with the chromatic array before her.  The presence of her own energies was most surprising.  A healer's role was to channel energy to remove barriers and restore flow, not to influence a patient with her own emotions or thoughts.  In every situation, her role was clinical and detached. 

Another soft moan left the Jedi's lips, and Serena observed strands of rich, burnt orange energy surrounding her core and pulsing at her fingertips.  The sensual desire that she attributed to this color was pronounced, and its meaning was not lost on her.  As if removed from her own body, she watched the energy swirl from her core, interweaving with the powerful energy at the Jedi's core.  It was as if an artist had dragged their brush along the deepest colors of her palette, creating wild streaks across Bernie's exquisite canvas.

As the realization of what was happening dawned on Serena, she began to withdraw energy as quickly as her process would allow.  Eyes fluttering open, she distanced herself from the Jedi, and walked around the sofa, arms crossed.  

Bernie's eyes opened slowly.  Her shoulders, and whole body for that matter, felt incredibly relaxed.  She raised her arms above her head to stretch, pleased to be pain free and refreshed.  Looking up, she realized that Serena was standing before her wearing an anxious expression.  She rose from the sofa and took a step towards the Senator, "Serena, are you alright?"  

Serena took a step back to maintain their distance.  "Perhaps we should listen to our bodies," she hesitated, flustered, "I mean, perhaps we should yield to our fatigue, and start fresh tomorrow."  Pausing awkwardly, she followed quickly, "By start, of course, I mean to discuss scheduling and logistics."  She avoided eye contact with the Jedi, grateful that the Veil masked the extent of her embarrassment, even if her face could not.  She walked towards the door and extended her hand slightly towards it.   

"Of course, Senator." Bernie gave a small nod, uncertain about the sudden shift.  She paused at the door,  "Message me when you find yourself available, and I will stop by."  

As the doors closed behind the Jedi, Serena leaned against the wall and let her head thud against it, eyes closed.  She put a hand to her forehead, letting the waves of anxiety wash over her as she berated herself for allowing such negligence.  With a Jedi Master, no less.  Blaming the intensity of the past few days, she resolved that sleep was what any doctor would order.  Things would look differently in the morning.

*****

Bernie paused just outside the door to Serena's quarters, trying to absorb what had just happened. She had felt a shift in the Force with what were becoming characteristic sensations at Serena's touch.  Truth be told, she felt amazing.  It was as if the fatigue and stress had been completely released.  Yet, she found herself uncertain about what it meant in the context of the Veils she and Serena wore. With a small frown, she walked to her door and keyed in the code, resolving to understand and prevent whatever it was that had made the Senator so uncomfortable.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The colors of Force-energy Serena sees are taken from the descriptions of Chakras in Hindu, Jainist, and Buddhist cultures. 


	10. A Few Small Repairs

Dom walked through the markets of Xasei Junction, trying to figure out how he was going to follow through on Master Wolfe's instructions.   _Find out how we were betrayed._   The urgency in her voice had been clear, and he felt certain that this task held significance as he took his final steps towards knighthood.  He had no idea who knew of their meeting in the cave, let alone where to begin.  It had been just a few, short weeks since he and Bernie had walked through this very market, discussing their assignment within the Senator's delegation.  He had been nervous and excited at the prospect of returning to the Core planets.  It had been years since he had set foot on Coruscant, which he left immediately once the Jedi Council joined him with Bernie.  

He could remember the jokes his friends Arthur and Zosia had rained on him once they found out that he would apprentice for Master Wolfe.  Her talents in the Force were widely regarded, and he knew that their teasing was tinged with jealousy.  However, her decision to serve for decades as a sentinel along the Outer Rim mystified those who had come to expect a Jedi Master of her rank and skill to be groomed for a seat among the High Council. As she was called on by the Council to lead campaigns during the Clone Wars, the gossip that surrounded her always seemed to escalate into tall tales.  After their years together, Dom was pretty sure he had underestimated how much truth was held within those tales.  

Dom knew for certain that Mace Windu had elevated Bernie from a padawan to Jedi Knight on the very day she returned from Wild Space to confront him.  It was said that she strode into the High Council chamber unannounced, slung a dirty brown sack at her mentor's feet, turned around and left without a word.  Within the sack were items confirming completion of Herculean tasks: a Lasat bo-rifle, a B'omarr lily from the jungles of Teth, a vial of kouhun venom, the fang of a voxyn, and the hilt of a sith lightsaber.   If the stories were true, she had spent years completing the trials alone.  Dom was sure that they had been assigned with the assumption that they would be nearly impossible to achieve.  To be given any one of the tasks at a Jedi Trial was generally viewed as a vote of no confidence.   

Bernie seldom spoke of her mentor directly to Dom, and he had only heard her utter indirect references a handful of times. When she received news that confirmed Master Windu's death, she led Dom to the abandoned B'omarr monastery on Teth.  There, she revealed the voxyn fang she presumably carried with her since the day of her return to the Council.  It had been carved with the two curved wings and star that symbolized the Jedi Order.  She placed this token on a sky altar under a mound of lilies they had gathered, muttering what Dom could only assume were parting words.

"Watch where you're going!"

A short, burly merchant swerved a hover trolley around Dom, its load shifting precariously before Dom could reach out a hand to stabilize it. 

"So sorry," Dom apologized, his attention snapping back to his errand.  He grabbed a few pieces of joongin fruit, a slab of nettar jerky, and a stack of flatbread before heading towards their camp.   Raf and Isaac had brought him to Dantooine after securing the Imperial shuttles at the drop location on one of Banakkon's 11 moons.  Finding a working starfighter had taken a bit longer than they had anticipated.  With ongoing hostilities across the sectors, good mechanics and good ships were in short supply.  

As he returned to camp, Dom made out Hanssen's tall frame in the distance. Picking up his pace, he jogged into camp.

"Our traditions are what led us to this point," Dom heard the pitch of Isaac's tone increase with each word.  Hanssen's expression was stonier than usual, his eyes shifting to Dom and the pile of flatbread he carried.  

"Welcome Young Copeland," Hanssen said.  "Jedi Mayfield believes that our Code is holding us back from required acts that would allow us victory over the Sith Lords."  He tilted his head slightly, his eyes unwavering, "What do you think?"  

Dom licked his lips, catching his breath.  He had no idea how intense this debate had become, or how they'd ended up on the subject.  From prior experience, he knew there was no way but through this conversation. 

"Master Wolfe has often taught me that there are many ways to interpret the Code," he replied.  "I think that there are good reasons for the guidelines set forth in the Code."  Dom glanced towards Isaac, and noted that his expression was hardening.  He backed off the emphasis on the  Code's virtues and shifted, "But could the Jedi Masters of the High Council have foreseen the devastation of the Order?" Keeping Isaac in his periphery, Dom glanced down and exhaled softly.   

Hanssen's eyes narrowed, his words were clipped. "Perhaps Master Wolfe should have stressed the importance of why the Code exists."  

Dom squinted, ignoring Isaac as he attempted to recover with Hanssen, "Master Wolfe has clearly outlined the dangers of life without the Code, and the potential paths to the Dark Side, Master Hanssen."  

Hoping his reply would be found to be appropriately contrite, Dom shifted his gaze down again, his mouth twisted slightly as he bit the side of his lower lip.  

Raf approached the group from where the starfighters were parked, "What did I miss?" 

"Dom was just teaching us all a lesson in the Jedi Code," Isaac mocked. Turning to Raf he raised his chin slightly, "I still think we made a mistake leaving those shadow troopers, but what do I know?"  

"Intelligence hasn't indicated that any word of the rendezvous left the planet's surface," Raf supplied.  "Master Hanssen, have you received any word from Ahsoka?" 

"Indeed.  She confirms that Master Wolfe and Senator Campbell have returned safely to Coruscant."  Hanssen turned to face Dom again, "And requests Young Copeland's assistance to investigate the intelligence leaks surrounding the rendezvous."  He offered an approving smile, "Word is that you have cultivated significant skills in stealth and observation while working with Master Wolfe in the Outer Rim. Master Wolfe also sends word that your Force Veil will have to wait, but that your crystal does not.  The rebellion has located the distress beacon of Jedi Effanga's starfighter, and the next Veil constructed will be used for her evacuation.  You may consider this your first Trial." 

"Mo's been found?" Raf interrupted, the concern clear on his face.  

"Yes. Young Mr. Copeland will leave tomorrow to meet with Jedi Tano."  Turning to Raf and Isaac, Hanssen began issuing directions, interrupted with Raf's frequent questions.  Dom barely heard the rest of the conversation.  Raf had told him that Ahsoka had been hiding in the Outer Rim, serving the rebellion as she could.  Though she was a few years older, the thought of contemporary alive and well in the galaxy had been reassuring. 

"A word, Mr. Copeland."  Hanssen's request broke Dom's train of thought.  Raf grabbed the flat bread from Dom, and gestured for the padawan to follow the master, corralling Isaac into lunch preparations. 

Hanssen's mouth tightened and he took a deep breath.  "We have reason to believe that Jedi Effanga's starfighter was pursued with intention."  Dom raised an eyebrow, lips pursed as he looked up at Hanssen, who spoke softly. "It may be that her mission was compromised much as yours was."  Hanssen held up one hand quickly before Dom could ask any questions, and offered him a small disk with the other hand.  "Use these coordinates, and share them with no one. Ahsoka will update you in person with the information that we have. You are to speak of this with no one.  Neither Raf, nor Isaac.  Not even Master Wolfe."

Dom swallowed hard, "Master Hanssen, surely you cannot believe that - "

"What I believe is irrelevant, Young Copleand. What I know is that the fewer threads of information that exist, the easier it will be to identify who is trying to pull." 

Dom nodded, and hid the disk in his palm.  "I will speak with no one." 

Hanssen waited.  "Nothing else, Mr. Copeland?"  

"Please say hello to Bernie for me?"  

With a nod and a tight smile, Master Hanssen turned abruptly and walked to his starfighter.  Dom watched its smooth ascent and then turned to join Raf and Isaac for lunch.  

*****  
Later that afternoon, Raf took off to the Junction for a supply run, leaving Isaac and Dom to finish repairs on the old starfighter they had managed to track down.  Lying under the left wing console, Dom patted the floor blindly for the routing cable he had spliced.  His hand bumped an arm and then a hand.  The hand offered the cable and lingered a bit longer than necessary to provide the part.  Dom's lips formed an involuntary smile at the gesture.  Isaac's hand dropped to his leg, moving up the inner part of his thigh.  Dom pushed himself out from under the console, nearly knocking his head in the rush to sit up. 

"Looked like you needed a hand."  Isaac leaned forward, no more than an arm's length between them in the small cockpit.  

Dom's eyes reflected his uncertainty, his shoulders wedged against the console base and the pilot's seat.  "Thanks," he managed before making a quick decision.  Threading a hand through Isaac's short hair, Dom pulled him in to a hard kiss.  Isaac responded, leaning his weight into Dom.  Isaac placed a knee in the space between Dom's outstretched legs, and pinned Dom against the console.    

Before Dom had a chance to respond, he heard Raf's voice outside the ship.  Isaac backed away quickly, calling, "Just in here on a few repairs, Raf."  

Raf poked his head into the cockpit.  "Found the part."  He tossed the voltage regulator to Dom and glanced down at the Jedi, "A bit tight in here.  I'll be outside."

Dom made eye contact with Isaac, sharing a satisfied smile.   Isaac's hand returned to Dom's thigh.  He squeezed and Dom took in a sharp breath.  

"There are aspects of the Force that Master Wolfe can't teach you."  Isaac rubbed his thumb along Dom's inseam.  Dom could feel himself start to swell.  He took a few centering breaths and placed a hand over Isaac's.  

"And I suppose you're the Jedi to teach me?" 

Isaac shot Dom a sidelong glance before removing his hand and standing.  "I guess we'll see, won't we?"  Dom watched him leave, absentmindedly tracing the edges of the voltage regulator in his hands.  


	11. Coruscant

Bernie waited in Serena's office, playing with the brown, leather band that was planned for Jedi Effanga's Force Veil.  Setting it down on the smooth, metal work bench, she picked up a tablet and opened the interface to watch the stream of data that was being collected from her own Veil.  Though she wasn't keen on the constant monitoring, Serena had warned her that they simply didn't know how midi-chlorian signalling would respond to long-term use of the Veil.  It was possible that they would adapt or shift according to the work of the scientist Serena had mentioned.   

The doors to the office slid open and a slender, hooded figure walked in, stopping suddenly at the sight of Bernie.  Back rigid, grey cloak swirling, the figure turned quickly to leave.  Bernie sensed the waves of anxiety that emerged and reached out with the Force to confirm that there were no malicious intentions.  

"Dr. Chonyo?"  

The figure paused and looked back at the Jedi.  Bernie set the tablet down on the bench and raised her left arm in front of her chest, pulling the edge of her sleeve away from the Veil for the scientist to see.   

"It's alright, Dr. Chonyo. I am here for our meeting with the Senator." 

Chonyo took a few tentative steps towards Bernie, who smiled awkwardly and averted her gaze. 

"I was hoping the Senator would have been here to facilitate our meeting, but it would appear that she is late," Bernie said, wondering if she needed to worry about Serena's absence.    

Bringing both gloved hands to the sides of zir head, Chonyo pulled back the hood of zir cloak, and let it settle on zir broad shoulders.  Black hair swirled around the large ridges of zir brow that arched gracefully over green eyes.  Caution transitioned into open curiosity.  The Imzig scientist began to remove zir gloves, pulling gently at the black leather to expose tanned skin and long fingers.  "The Senator is often pulled in many directions from the moment she starts her day, Master -"  

Bernie looked up to see Dr. Chonyo for the first time.  Realization of the scientist's heritage hit her.  She took a few steps forward and offered a small bow.  Placing the index finger of her right hand to her forehead and right thumb on her jaw, she extended her left hand towards Chonyo with the palm facing upwards.  Bernie looked directly into zir eyes.  

"Knowledge without empathy is empty."  

Chonyo's brow lifted.  Zie moved the remaining distance towards Bernie and bowed deeply.  Placing the index finger and thumb of zir left hand to zir brow, zie extended zir right hand to rest on Bernie's outstretched palm.   

"Wisdom embraces the two."  

The office door slid open, and Serena walked in.  "I'm sorry that I'm late."  She trailed off as she took in the scene before her.  Bernie dropped her hands and Chonyo folded zir hands into the sleeves of zir cloak.  Serena opened her mouth slightly and closed it again.  

"I see that you've met."  

Dr. Chonyo walked to Serena, placing zir hand to Serena's temple. "May you share your wisdom."  

Serena paused for a moment, glancing at Bernie before returning her colleague's greeting.  She placed her hand on Dr. Chonyo's heart, and shifted her weight uncomfortably, her voice barely audible. "May it fuel our survival."    

Serena parted from the greeting quickly, tucking a few wisps of short hair behind her ear and letting her hand sit on the back of her neck for a brief moment. Dr. Chonyo was unphased.  Bernie observed the cues, and wondered if Serena was unsettled by her presence during the intimate exchange.  

The Senator had been very formal for the duration of the trip to Coruscant on the Tantive, her mannerisms increasingly stiff since yesterday's arrival.  During the morning's meditations, Bernie spent time reflecting on the change. Her key insight was that it would take the Senator time to adapt to the addition of a Jedi shadow.  Acting with this insight, Bernie came up with an awkward excuse to give Serena a moment alone with her colleague.   

"Who favors a cuppa?"  Bernie ignored the mildly bewildered look on Chonyo's face in response to what she could only imagine seemed like an impatient demand for beverages.  Regardless, she plowed forward.  "Milk, doctor?" Chonyo nodded once, and Bernie exited the office as quickly as should could without giving the impression that she was fleeing.  

***** 

The moment the office doors slid closed, Chonyo turned to Serena, zir mouth agape.  "You didn't tell me that your Jedi protector would be as handsome as she is." Serena's face flushed, and she was grateful that Chonyo had turned away, busy placing zir cloak on one of the wall hooks and chattering away.  

"It has been a long time since I have met a human versed in Imzig matters of state.  Too bad she's a Jedi, eh?"  

Chonyo turned to see a mild look of fear pass across Serena's eyes, and focused zir concentration long enough to observe the distance in zir colleague's eyes.   

"Serena?"  Zie walked to Serena and placed a hand on Serena's arm. "Are you well?" 

Serena snapped back from her thoughts, and looked up so that their eyes could meet.  She placed a hand on Chonyo's.  

"I'm just tired, the travel and, well you don't know, do you?"   

When Serena had started working with Dr. Chonyo, they had agreed to several communication protocols that were essentially information firewalls to protect Chonyo's identity.  Dates and times of their meetings were randomized by algorithms that were updated weekly.  Arrangements were communicated on the day of the meeting through a series of encrypted messages that were routed using double-blind contacts that Morven and Fletcher facilitated.  Serena was sure that it involved a few resourceful Gungans and the odd astromech droid on their side, but had no clue how messages were relayed to Chonyo. 

Chonyo's look was now one of open concern.  "Did something happen?"   

"Only if you count an Imperial attack at the rendezvous point."  Serena watched her colleague closely.  Chonyo didn't spook easily, but such a compromise in intelligence was certain to give the scientist pause.  Were zie implicated in zir work with the Alliance, painful torture and a prolonged death were all but guaranteed for Chonyo and those zie held dear.  

"Does the Alliance have any idea how the location was compromised?"  

Serena shook her head. "No word yet.  Master Wolfe has tasked her apprentice to uncover the source of the leak. "   

"Master Wolfe? Oh, Serena, even her name!" Chonyo laughed.  Zie stopped abruptly as the office doors slid open and Bernie returned carrying a tea tray as if she had never seen one before.  

"So domestic, too." Chonyo whispered quickly to Serena with a wink before walking to take the tray from Bernie.   "Allow me, Master Wolfe."   

Serena watched Chonyo cast zir charms on Bernie for a moment before closing her eyes and letting out a slow exhale.  The distance she had created from the Jedi had been a conscious decision to create space, gather her thoughts, and reassert her professionalism prior to returning to the capital and this new way of life.  But instead of feeling more composed, there was a new tension that persisted. Control she often felt in the day-to-day was now elusive.  She had postponed the protocol meeting with Bernie while on the Tantive, and now it just felt like she was avoiding the Jedi altogether.  It was unsustainable, she knew it was.  

Serena was pulled from her thoughts once again, this time by the characteristic bark of Bernie's laughter.   

"So they just left you there by yourself?"  Bernie's question keyed Serena in to the fact that she had missed some significant part of the story. Chonyo nodded.  

"Stark naked, with a serviette the size of a processor tile." 

Bernie wiped a tear from the edge of one eye.  "And how did you decide what to cover?"   

"No need.  I did what any young Imzig would do, I triangulated my position to the nearest available exit and ran like hell!"  

Serena had always enjoyed Chonyo's storytelling, and was glad to see her colleague in such good spirits.  In the midst of each day's insanities, these moments were what kept her going.  She walked to the end table where they'd placed the tea tray.  Bernie offered her the mug that remained with a small smile. Serena was certain Bernie had picked up on the tension and must be trying to figure out what was wrong. It made it all even worse.  

Accepting the mug, she risked eye contact with the Jedi.  Serena noticed that Bernie had a way of tilting her head ever so slightly, which gave her dark eyes a sense of depth.  She would find herself staring without warning.  After chiding herself, Serena would remember her grandmother's words.  _"The only way you know someone is staring is because you were looking."_

"So, Master Wolfe -"  

"Major." Serena corrected Chonyo.   

"Major Wolfe, before the Senator left, she told me that we would be deploying two Force Veils, yet I see only one."  

Bernie glanced at Serena, as if seeking permission to respond.  "The Veil intended for my apprentice was destroyed in the ambush." 

Chonyo winced and Serena placed a sympathetic hand on zir shoulder.   "It looks like we'll have to try and infer as much as we can from a single Veil."  

Hearing the dismay in Chonyo's voice, Serena jumped in. "It's not the best of circumstances, but we knew that data collection would be extremely limited.  Even if we did have Young Dom's vitals to contrast with Major Wolfe's, there's no guarantee that we would be able to pull any significant trends from the data. Either way, we have a new objective: to enhance a Veil for Jedi Effanga that will work well enough to get her out of enemy territory without the benefit of biocalibration."   

Bernie watched Serena and Chonyo transition into a seamless, collaborative discussion.  She admired their respectful back-and-forth about the tradeoffs of additional data collection.  Serena was eager to start the next generation of the Veil to make their deadline, but Chonyo asked for time with the data from Bernie's Veil.  The further they waded into the scientific weeds, the more relaxed Serena appeared.  Bernie caught herself wishing for that level of interaction with Serena.  Granted, that ease was built on trust, and they really had only just met. 

"What do you think, Major?"   

"Bernie?" Serena's voice broke through to the Jedi.  "Would you be willing to work with me to create a series of Force tests on an uncalibrated Veil?"   

Bernie saw the opportunity and leaped towards it. "Absolutely."  She would spend the rest of the meeting wondering if her eagerness to participate was purely professional. 


	12. I Wish I Was the Moon

The moment Chonyo left, the tension returned.  Serena had never been one to avoid confrontation, and she refused to let her feelings get in the way of her work.  As Bernie collected the empty mugs, Serena smoothed the front of her blouse and took a deep breath.  

"Bernie, is now a good time to talk about the security protocol?" 

"By all means." 

Serena picked up a tablet and tapped a message to her assistant to cancel her attendance at the Cerean state dinner.  She gestured for the Jedi to sit down, and they moved to chairs in the far corner of the office.  Pulling on the mantle of negotiator, she waited for the other side to speak first, to concede the silence.  

Bernie sat, waiting for Serena to respond or direct the conversation.  She was relieved to finally discuss the nature of their work together, and hoped it would break the awkward tension.   

Relaxing into a meditative state, Bernie brought awareness to her breath and prepared her mind to hear Serena.  She studied the Senator's blouse, noticing the simple patterns that cascaded across the flowing fabric.  Bernie considered her eagerness to work with Serena.  There was no doubt that their conversations on the Eyre had brought awareness to the fact that it had been literally years since she had spent any substantial amount of time socially with a true contemporary.  

As a sentinel across the Outer Rim and into Wild Space, there were familiar ports of call and a network of contacts and friends that made the transience feel a little bit less, well, transient.  As a general, she had been surrounded by those under her command.  They had been as dedicated, brave, and intelligent as anyone she had ever met, but their relationship was predicated by the fact that she was responsible to issue orders that risked their lives on any given day.  She would carry the staggering losses of the Clone Wars with her indefinitely, and knew it was something all surviving Jedi shared.  

To the point of surviving Jedi, not only were they rare, visits were dangerous, making them few and far between.  There was Hanssen.  Dear lords, Hanssen.  She didn't have the capacity to categorize Hanssen at the moment.  

And, of course, there was Dom.  Her time with Dom was precious to her, but the roles of padawan and master were well established.  Circumstances had left no room for her to compromise her responsibilities to him.  Not to mention the fact that their roles exaggerated the generational differences that she and Dom ran into on occasion.  Maybe someday when he was knighted that would change.  

For all this, it was rare that Bernie felt any threads of attachment or threat of emotional entanglement.  This had been the goal, after all.  She had cultivated many techniques over the decades to let go of personal attachments.  This allowed her to walk her path, to balance the light and the dark as Mace had taught her.  Just as she knew what it felt like to walk that edge, she knew that she must acknowledge the emotions that were tied to her new circumstances and Serena's presence.  

If she let herself explore her feelings, she had enjoyed Serena's company before the Senator had started walking on eggshells around her.  There was a sense of ease and mutual respect.  She admired Serena's power.  Not simply the leadership and insight Serena exuded in her role as senator, but the raw Force energy Bernie sensed that must exist under that Veil.  From the limited exposure she had to Serena's healing skill, it was clear that they were probably equal in their respective abilities.  Bernie had a feeling that healing was just the tip of the iceberg for Serena's Force gifts.    

When they worked together to heal Fletcher, it had been refreshing to stand beside another powerful woman and watch her wield skill with the seemingly effortless grace that years of experience allowed.  Though the High Council had been progressing prior to its fall, there were few women who had ascended to the rank of Jedi Master compared to the number of men.  There were even fewer nonbinary genders, come to think of it.  Yes, the Jedi Council was long overdue for adequate representation, even as it was destroyed.  

Thoughts of Serena and the Council collided and a long forgotten memory emerged with vivid detail.   

It was the day Mace knighted her in front of the High Council.  Masters Yaddle and Yoda had been in quiet deliberation since she had returned that morning to claim her place as a Jedi Knight.  After the ceremony, Master Yaddle approached her, and Bernie instinctively sank to one knee for the second time that day.  She remembered reaching to nervously tug on her braid, only to be reminded that it had been cut off by Mace's lightsaber, a symbol of her ascension within the Order.  Yaddle pulled her hand away from her neck and into the grasp of small, green hands. Bernie could remember the pressure of Yaddle's claws on her skin as the Jedi Master spoke to Bernie via telepathy ,which was rare even in those days.

 _You will have no peers until it is time for you to rise.  For you are no longer the sun, but the moon. Solitude will be your guide as you find your path. Let go of your attachments and prepare your heart.  You will know when the night arrives, for your solitude will be broken.  Never forget: A moon needs a sun or it is just a rock.  You must find the sun to rise and carry the light through the darkness._  

Yaddle's words had confused Bernie.  In the early days of her knighthood, she reflected on the meaning of those words in her meditations, concluding that they were not instructions, but a koan.  She presumed that Yaddle had been quoting some sort of scripture when she described solitude.  It was no secret in the Order that Bernie had pursued her Trials alone.  

The memory had faded over time, and Bernie hadn't thought on it for a decade.  What she had never considered was the possibility that Yaddle was predicting future solitude. Was Dom's assignment as her padawan the beginning of night?  Certainly the Republic was on its way to dissolving as they stood together in front of the High Council.  

But why had this memory appeared as she contemplated her gravitation towards Serena?  And what did it mean to find the sun?  Was there a lesson in this darkness that would help her carry the light of the Order?     

*****

Serena grew impatient.  Bernie had apparently settled into some sort of meditative trance, and her brow was furrowed.  Serena let herself feel some small amount of indignation.  The Jedi was here to protect her, after all.  The dossier of Bernie's campaigns in the war read like a case study on modern improvisational strategy and tactic.  Who better to propose a protection plan or protocol? What was she waiting for? It dawned on Serena that trying to wait out a Jedi Master was madness.  She didn't even know how many hours Bernie meditated daily.

She had once tried to sit for 30 minutes as a part of a Force exploration series that Jason had downloaded from the Senate library.  This was before the dissolution of the Republic, of course.  Her nephew had just moved in, and she was eager to get to know him.  He could have suggested Hutt sand therapy techniques, and she would have tried it to make him happy.  Though she had the best intentions, she had only lasted 20 minutes, before she burst into a fit of giggles.  Jason had been confused for days.  

 _Ah well, the Jedi wins this round._  Serena cleared her throat.  Bernie's eyes refocused, and her gaze slowly resettled on Serena.  

"I think it's best to discuss the matter of personal boundaries first," Serena said.  She watched Bernie carefully, trying to glean whatever she could from the Jedi's response.  

"I agree completely. This can't be easy - the sudden imposition of my presence without an understanding of where it starts and stops. I think we should start with what would make you happy and go from there."  

Serena sat back, unprepared for Bernie's complete openness.  She felt foolish for a moment, she'd initiated the conversation without knowing what she wanted.  The most basic rules of negotiation involved knowing what you want and what you are willing to give in order to get what you want.  Serena couldn't believe she had entered into a discussion about the terms of her life for the foreseeable future without having considered a clear ask and a clear walk-away.  She decided to return the question with one of her own. 

"What do you need in order to protect me?"  

Bernie spoke without hesitation.  "Daily schedules, preferably the week in advance, with key details redacted using coded names and standard encryption, which I would like to change on a weekly basis. Access to all meetings of state and advance notice on travel.  Information on personal engagements, including guest lists.  Clear instructions when you want me present and when you prefer privacy. Recognition that there may be times when I cannot fulfill my duties and provide you the level of privacy you desire."

"So, basically no boundaries." Serena was surprised by the hostility in her own voice.  She bore Bernie no ill will, the Jedi's protection was the very reason she was here to barter her privacy at all.  She took a deep breath.  "Losing my autonomy would be easier with a bottle of Shiraz."

Bernie laughed, and the mood lightened, for which Serena was grateful.  

"The thing is, Serena Campbell, I think we actually enjoy each other's company when we're not so worried about the formalities of our arrangement.  And frankly, I have no desire to tether you.  The Alliance needs you to continue your work as you were.  The risks are likely to increase, and I see it as my job to manage those risks to allow you to continue to do what you do so well." 

Seeing Serena's expression soften, Bernie took the moment to push for a resolution.  "What if I suggested that you let me work with your assistant to identify when I think I need to be present, nearby, and out of sight. You can review the assignments prior and we can take it from there.  Full veto powers, and the expectation that it will take a little while to work out the kinks.  Deal?"  Bernie leaned forward and offered her hand. 

Serena gave a coy smile and took the Jedi's hand to shake on it.  "Deal."  She chose not to examine the fact that it was the longest hand shake she had ever experienced.  Instead, Serena resolved to give the arrangement the old college try. 

Bernie started to get up from her seat and Serena placed a hand on her arm.   
   
"Before we go, we need to discuss my nephew, Jason.  He lives with me, and his safety is more important to me than my own.  He has no idea of my true work, nor any of the connections within the delegation.  I have struggled tremendously with the decision to lie to him, but he has no filter.  I fear that if he had any sensitive information he would unintentionally compromise our work."

Serena saw the question in Bernie's eyes and answered it preemptively. "Jason has a keen mind for detail, a unique personality, and a strong need for normalcy.  He has no idea that we are allied with the rebellion or that there are surviving Jedi.  It's too bad really, he would be ecstatic to know it all, to know you.  He's been fascinated with Jedi customs for as long as I've known him." 

"Well, we may not be able to tell him why it is that I'm familiar with those traditions, but that doesn't bar us from sharing common interests," Bernie said.  

A part of Serena melted.  She hadn't realized how nervous she had been that Bernie would treat Jason as a tactical element as opposed to a human being.  The Alderaanian guard had assigned her a detail a few weeks prior, and the captain had treated Jason with derision.  It had not gone well for the captain.  It hindsight, it was probably one of the major reasons Serena had been as opposed to the arrangement with Bernie from the beginning.  

Serena found herself wanting to open up to Bernie, there were few people with whom she could share these experiences.  "Jason makes clear distinctions for everything.  Palpatine is the very heart of evil, for him and we are complicit by maintaining normalcy.  It's hard to bear his judgment sometimes.  I can see how disappointed he is because he believes that I have become just another politician." 

Bernie offered a sympathetic smile, "He sounds like he has a true heart and clear mind. I will look forward to meeting him."

"You know," Serena said.  "There's no time like the present.  Jason was irritated that I was prioritizing the Cerean Senator's invitation over fish and chips night."  Serena checked the time on a tablet.  "If we hurry, we'll only be a few minutes late.  If you're game, I can see if he's up for guests."  

Bernie stood.  "I like my chips crisp, Dom says I ruin them." Serena smiled, grabbing the tablet as she stood, and sending a quick message to Jason. 

The comm signal chirped, and Serena glanced at the incoming message.  

"Jason will agree to our lateness if we supplicate with ice cream."  

"Is Cerean chip too on the nose?"

Serena rolled her eyes with a smile as they left the office. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neko Case, "I Wish I Was the Moon", Blacklisted. 2002. Bloodshot, ANTI-.


	13. Jason

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very belated May the Fourth be with you Berena fans! Thanks to those of you who have waited patiently for the story to resume. Most of my writing time has been spent on later chapters these past few weeks, because the moments of inspiration were focused on future scenes. While a short chapter, please accept these few breadcrumbs while I pull together the broader arcs. I hope those of you who were excited for Jason to arrive on the scene find this chapter enjoyable to read. :)

"Have you come to intrude on every aspect of our lives?"

Jason stood squarely in the doorway.  Though he hadn't blocked Bernie outright, there was no clear path to enter the apartment without going through him. Somehow, Serena had made it past Jason, and was headed discreetly to the dining room with dinner containers they'd picked up on their way over.  

Bernie's gaze followed Serena with the hope that she would throw some sort of life line.  Seeing none, Bernie focused her attention on Jason, "I'm sorry?" 

"Auntie Serena warned me that there would be a special guard who was planning to insert herself into our family business."  

Bernie looked for Serena, who was now conspicuously absent.  

"I've been asked to serve as your Aunt's personal guard.  That includes making sure that you're both safe and well. This may seem like an intrusion at first.  Is it okay for me to stay to have dinner with you, or would you like for me to leave?"  

"Did you bring ice cream?"  Jason had an inherently academic posture when asking questions.  He tilted his head back, eyebrows raised as his pale, pursed lips rose towards his wide nose.  The brown curls at the top of his head quivered slightly with each motion.  

Bernie lifted the small container she had carried from the kitchens and handed it to Jason for inspection.  Apparently, the staff made a small batch of ice cream for him on occasions where Serena's responsibilities in the Senate pulled her away from home. Bernie had a feeling that the staff made sure Jason never ate alone, though it was clear he preferred the company of his aunt.    
Satisfied with Bernie's offering, Jason tilted his head, blue eyes narrowed.  He lowered his voice, taking a conspiratorial tone. "If you stay for dinner, will you play Advozse Jengu with me afterwards, Major Berenice?" 

"Bernie, if you don't mind."  

"I don't mind," Jason said.

"I'll play Jengu with you on one condition." Bernie watched Jason's expression transform into one of open curiosity. "I only play Advozse Jengu using the traditional rules." 

Jason's brow furrowed.  "But I don't know the traditional rules." 

"Would you like to learn?" Bernie asked.  

Jason's face lit up again, and Bernie knew she'd be staying for dinner.  

"I'll tell Auntie Serena that you'll be staying." 

Jason closed the door behind them and headed through the foyer.  Bernie followed him into a wide hallway that flowed into a series of rooms, the formal dining room to the right and sitting rooms to the left.  The hallway spilled into a large chamber, leading to a massive terrace. The architecture of each room was dominated by elegant beams and narrow columns that directed the eye upwards and towards the large windows that swept across the length of the penthouse. Thin, flowing drapes framed the edges of each window, producing an airy feeling.  Abstract curves of Alderaanian art gave each room a distinct energy, accentuating the flow from one room to another.  Two smaller hallways branched off from this main hall, becoming stairways that led down to a second, smaller floor. Bernie supposed that this was where she would find bedrooms and private offices.  

The focal point of the large chamber was a clear view of the Senate Dome in the distance, although the terrace itself was a sight to behold.  A series of steps led down to pools that wrapped around the terrace edge like an ethereal moat suspended in mid-air.  Water cascaded from the pools into lush ponds below.  Fat, orange and blue fish swam lazily in the clear water, nibbling occasionally at the gnarled, pale roots of lotus plants that floated on the surface.  Dense gardens surrounded the ponds, creating a green fence to distinguish the terrace from the open sky around it.  
     
Bernie reflected that the apartments likely had less to do with Serena's tastes and more to do with Alderaanian matters of state.  Each accent had been designed to accommodate large dinners and private meetings.  The focus of each room was to facilitate alliances while conveying the wealth and history of Alderaan.  The main chamber was dominated by curved sofas and chairs that formed a circle around a polished hard wood table that Bernie could have laid across with room to spare.  Wood and stone inlay had been used with exquisite detail to create a map of the known galaxy, highlighting Alderaan, its allies, and Coruscant.  Based on the absence of several more recently mapped sectors, Bernie estimated that the table was over seven hundred years old.     

They found Serena rummaging through a series of drawers in the kitchen that was just off the dining room.  It didn't appear that Serena and Jason spent much time cooking, considering their familiarity with the professional kitchens on the floors below.  The hospitality staff knew them both by name.  Bernie was no stranger to formal settings, but she seldom spent time in such luxurious accommodations.  She was grateful that the small apartment they had provided to her on the same floor was simpler and smaller.

Serena held up a metal corkscrew, eyes filled with triumph as she flashed her prize.

"Welcoming a new guest to the flat rings of a special occasion, doesn't it?"  Serena said as she procured a bottle from under a counter and brandished it with glee.  "I wasn't kidding when I said this would all do better with a nice bottle of Shiraz.  One of the better Chandrilian estates, if the Brentaalian ambassador can be believed. I've been saving it for months. Shall we eat on the terrace?"   

*****

Bernie dragged the last of her chips through the sauce on her plate, languishing in the full feeling of a meal in a proper home. The sounds of falling water were complemented by thet rustle of leaves from the warm breeze across the terrace. Jason had paused his short oral dissertation on ancient lightsaber components to answer his aunt's questions about his day.  Bernie saw Jason's head swivel back in her direction.  He brought an index finger to his lips, and she could see the question in his eyes.     

"You don't seem like a typical Alderaanian guard."  

Bernie laughed out loud at this observation.  She saw Serena place a hand on Jason's arm to rein him in, and shook her head slightly to reassure the senator.  She would tell Jason as much of the truth as she could without compromising anyone.  "That's probably because my family was Corellian. I lived there until I was seven."   

"Seven?  My mum said I was very little when we moved to Coruscant.  I'd never been to Alderaan until Auntie Serena found me and invited me to stay with her.  I miss it though.  Do you miss it?"  

"Alderaan?  No, ever since I came of age I've traveled from one planet to another as part of my work," Bernie said.  

All true.  So far, so good.  She decided to keep going. 

"I do miss Corellia from time-to-time though.  Maybe I have memories from my childhood that keep me connected to it."  Bernie noticed that she had Serena's attention as well as Jason's.  

"I've never been to Corellia, that I know of," Jason said. 

Serena leaned forward, her hand still resting on Jason's arm. "Perhaps you can travel with us to Corellia in a few weeks, Jason. Morven told me today that it looks like they will win the bid for the next round of trade negotiations.  We could use your insights on the efficiency of sector routes for grain transport."  Bernie caught Serena's glance before she returned her attention to Jason.  His face had transformed to an expression of utter delight. She could see new questions forming in his mind in real-time.  Suddenly, concern washed across his face as he looked down at his wristwatch.  

"The Galaxy's Strongest Hominoid competition is about to start, and we haven't yet played Advosze Jengu."  

"No need to worry, love." Serena said.  "There will be plenty of time to play Jengu with Bernie in the future.  Isn't that right, Major?"  

"I'm up for it anytime," Bernie replied. 

"Traditional rules only, sir."  Jason confirmed their agreement with a wide grin and salute.  Bernie found his energy infectious, though she could feel the tension from Serena's impulse to  monitor his interactions.  As Serena dished ice cream for Jason, Bernie noted that it seemed important that Serena have some hand in taking care of Jason's needs.  Bernie collected the dishes and took them to the kitchen as Jason retired to his room with his ice cream.  Serena arrived with their wine glasses.  She topped off each glass, draining the bottle.  Handing one to Bernie, she raised her glass. 

"To a successful first meeting." 

Bernie smiled and tapped their glasses. "To many more."  

Serena returned the smile, holding Bernie's gaze.  It dawned on Bernie that they were standing in the kitchen staring at each other.  She felt an unconscious desire to reach out to Serena with the Force.  Her brain immediately thought better of it, and she chose instead to avert her eyes to the wine glass in her hand.   

Taking an awkward sip of wine, Serena brought her glass down and broke the silence.  "I was hoping we could find somewhere remote in the next few days to try the uncalibrated Veil. If my colleague's prior work is any indication, we should have a testable model in a few days."   

"I'll find a few options for us to consider."  Bernie paused as Serena stifled a yawn. She finished her wine and placed her glass gently on the counter. "It's been a long day, perhaps it's a good idea to call it a night."   

Serena nodded and walked her to the door.  

"Bernie?"

The Jedi turned at the doorway.  

"Thank you," Serena said.

Bernie smiled. "Sleep well, Serena."  


	14. The Fulcrum

Dom let his starfighter hang in empty space at the rendezvous coordinates, waiting for Ahsoka to arrive.  Shrugging off the shoulder harness, he reached into a pocket and pulled out the kyber crystal Isaac had given him before he left Dantooine.  Dom smirked at the thought of their exchange.  

He had just finished the launch checklist, and sensed Isaac's presence in front of the ship. It startled him for a moment.  He had followed Hanssen's orders and withheld all information, including his departure time, from both Raf and Isaac.  Dantooine's sun hadn't risen yet, so the starfighter's running lights illuminated the ground to create a pocket of light in the darkness.  The glow gave Isaac's skin a red tint.  His eyes gleamed as he stared through the starfighter's canopy at Dom.  

 _Willing to wait up all night just to see me off?_  

While Dom hadn't intended to let Isaac say goodbye, much less board, he had been intrigued when Isaac lifted the kyber crystal in front of him as an offering.  Flattered and curious, Dom didn't see the harm in allowing a brief goodbye before taking off.  He reasoned that the bright red welts he left on Isaac's neck were sufficient tokens of exchange, even if kyber crystals were rare these days.  While not exactly the method his mentor had prescribed, he felt quite pleased with his new acquisition.     

Bernie's instructions for finding the right kyber crystal had been clear: he was to listen for the song of a crystal and follow its call.  Apparently, a connection to a specific crystal was the first step in crafting a lightsaber that matched his abilities.  He had certainly tried, but had no idea how he would find his crystal in the midst of all that was happening.  Perhaps fate had brought it to him by way of Isaac. 

Dom quieted himself, reaching out with the Force to connect with the crystal in his hands.  He ran a thumb over its rough surface, letting the memories of Isaac fade away and settling in to the present moment.  Closing his eyes, he began to focus on the feeling of his breath.  Inhale, filling the lungs.  Gentle hold.  Exhale slowly.  Listen.

Nothing.

Well, not if you counted the hum of the starfighter's auxiliary power generators.  Dom stretched his arms, holding the crystal above his head and staring into it.  He didn't see the harm in practicing a bit with this one until he found his own.  He channeled a thin stream of Force energy towards the crystal to explore its properties.  Within seconds, the crystal was as hot as an ember.  Dom dropped it quickly, looking at the welt that started to form on his palm.  He gave a sidelong glance to where the crystal lay on the floor.  His lips pursed in irritation.  Using the Force, he lifted the crystal back into his hand.  It was cool to the touch.  Thin, magenta veins coursed through it.  Dom's brow furrowed.  That's odd.  

The sensory array chirped a notification.  Dom looked up in time to see a sleek, Aethersprite-class interceptor drop out of hyperspace.  After keying in the confirmation codes, Dom waited for green lights across the console to give him the all clear.  He pulled a headset over one ear and positioned the microphone at his mouth.  

"Fulcrum, this is the Dove.  Awaiting instructions." 

The headset crackled and a young, female voice boomed. "Dove, this is the Fulcrum.  Transmitting secondary coordinates for you to follow.  Estimated time to destination is 40 hours. Think you can keep up?" 

Dom groaned out load.  "Copy, Fulcrum."  

Dom pocketed the kyber crystal and entered in the new set of coordinates as the hyperdrive spun up.  He strapped himself back in and checked all primary systems.  After rerouting the power for non-essential functions to the engines, he pulled the throttle down, and the small starfighter made the jump on the heels of Ahsoka's interceptor.  

*****

As his starfighter dropped out of hyperspace, Dom was surprised to see the golden surface of a desert planet burst into view.  He rubbed his eyes, tired from the journey. Keying in a few commands for the sensor arrays, he pulled up a sector map.  A hologram for the system appeared; its simulated planets traced lazy figure-eight patterns around twin suns.   

"Ossus," Dom said to no one.  He could hardly believe that the seat of an ancient Jedi Academy was their first stop.  He hadn't thought about Ossus since Arthur had forced him to read an essay on extraordinary tactics of the Great Sith War.  His friend had been relentless when it came to subjects that fascinated him.  Dom used to tease Arthur whenever he would obsess over something particularly dark, just to lighten the mood.  He couldn't remember exactly what part of Ossus' destruction had captured Arthur's attention, but Dom did remember that he had made some reference to sunbathing in the shockwave of a supernova.  He sent a quick prayer into the galaxy for Arthur and Zosia as he engaged the thrusters to catch up to Ahsoka's ship.  

Taking wing position, Dom calculated the descent trajectory for the landing coordinates that were relayed from Ahsoka.  From their altitude, he could see the swirling sands of desert storms across the northern continent, though it appeared that they were headed south towards mountain ranges.  

Ahsoka guided them to a narrow valley that Dom would have missed without the coordinates.  Perching the small ships on a slim rock ledge, he saw the canopy of Ahsoka's ship open.  Shutting down his engines, he punched controls to open the ship hatch.   He grabbed the leather pouch that contained his lightsaber, slung it across his shoulders, and jumped out.  

They met between the ships.  The first thing Dom noticed was how Ahsoka's height was accentuated by horns that were characteristic of Togruta.  Sprouting from the sides of her skull instead of hair, the horns created a fierce impression.  It was as if nature had chosen to coronate her species at its creation. Each horn curved upwards and was relatively blunt at its tip.  White keratin was accentuated by slate blue veins that arced down the length of each horn like thick bolts of lightning to frame her face. The blue veins continued from her horns, wrapping around long, white tails that swirled across her shoulders like long braids. 

Ahsoka was lean and clearly strong.  Her tanned skin was dark with deep orange tones.  It contrasted with the distinct, white blazes across her forehead and cheeks.  The stripes that shaped her brow reminded Dom of an eye mask he had once seen in masquerades on Zeltros.  Dom noted that Ahsoka had traded her Jedi robes for a similarly drab and rough spun tunic like his.  Hers had been cutoff at the shoulders, and soft black cloth wraps covered the majority of her arms.  The tunic flowed over a belted skirt, across which, twin lightsabers were holstered, one at each hip.  Her leggings tied into knee-high, leather boots that matched thin leather gauntlets around her wrists.  

Dom thought she was magnificent.  His wide-eyed expression was a beacon of his excitement. His smile grew as Ahsoka flashed him a grin of her own.  

He reached out his arm and found hers there as its mirror.  

"Mr. Copeland." 

"Jedi Tano."  

"Ready to help out a friend?"  Dom saw a mischievous glint in Ahsoka's eyes as she asked the question.  

"How do we begin?" Dom said. 

"Help me hide the ships. We have some distance to cover to get to the drop point identified by your Master."  

Dom looked up quickly, an eyebrow raised.  "Bernie was here?"  

Ahsoka shook her head.  "She sent a courier. They've dropped technology to aid the rescue.  Our objective is to locate it in one of the old Jedi temples."  Ahsoka pulled out a small, circular device and held it in her palm.  A hologram emerged from its center, and a red dot pulsed softly against the blue terrain that was clearly a map of their position.  

"Master Hanssen has increased the security protocols.  There are double-blind procedures in place to figure out where the intelligence leaks originated. It should take us the day to reach the caverns, but we have strict orders to leave the ships at these coordinates." 

Dom nodded, and looked from ship to ship.  He shifted his focus to the task of hiding the ships instead of dwelling on the fact that there was likely a traitor among their small team.  It was hard to accept that a surviving Jedi could choose the Dark Side after seeing its devastation on their Order first hand.  He should find the time to meditate on it, but preferred distraction at the moment. 

He gestured to the dust, branches, and gravel across the rock ledge.  "If we try to blanket the ships in this debris, we risk clogging the components."  

Ahsoka nodded.  "I have a different idea."  She looked down, pointing at a shallow lake at the base of the valley.  Algae covered its surface.  "Think you can relocate that algae? The valley will do most of the work for us.  We just need to cover the reflective surfaces." " 

Dom hesitated, the distance was beyond anything he had tried to move with the Force, and he wasn't sure if the algae mat would function as one object or thousands.  

"The trick, Mr. Copeland, is to overcome your insecurity."  Ahsoka caught his gaze.  "Don't worry, the only reason I know you're feeling it is because I've felt it myself.  Is the algae too far?  Is it going to be a huge object or thousands of tiny pieces? It doesn't matter.  Just reach out to the algae, take what you need, and bring it to the ships." 

Dom's lips pursed and he blinked a few times.  He was nervous and she had seen it within seconds.  She was also quite direct.  Muttering an "Okay", he turned to face the lake in the distance, brow furrowed.  He pictured the algae floating as an enormous mat.  They could dice it up once he got it here, apparently.  

Casting a quick side glance at Ahsoka, Dom closed his eyes and settled into a meditative exploration of his task.  He reached out to sense the algae's life force, and felt it teeming at the lake's surface.  It seemed wasteful to cut life force short in order to cover their ships.   It appeared that Ahsoka had been in touch with Bernie about his instruction.  Otherwise, why would she ask him to complete what seemed basic for her abilities?  

If Bernie were here, Dom would already be evaluating alternative solutions against the most direct means.  Bernie regularly presented Dom with a basic task that required basic skills.  It was often up to him to decide if the principles of simplicity were the most appropriate, or if things were not as straightforward as they appeared.  In this case, the presence of the algae's life force gave him pause.  He had come to learn that it was an important instinct to follow.  

Take the time to consider alternatives, if time is on your side. It was a bit maddening to hear Bernie's instructions in his head as if she were there beside him.  

Dom reflected for a moment, considering the dead mats of algae at the edge of the lake and the tangled branches that had washed up on its shores.  If he could complete his task while mitigating damage to the algae, why wouldn't he choose that path?  Scanning the landscape for any additional resources, Dom began to channel the Force to collect the dead algae and branches.  He felt the mats leave the lake's surface, arranging them to form a lattice as they hovered.  Holding the mats in position, he reached out with a second strand of the Force, a skill he was still developing.  Dom began to pull a thread of the algae, which he began to weave through the lattice.  

Opening one eye under a raised eyebrow, Dom peeked at his work.  His algae blanket began to wobble at the subtle shift in his attention.  He closed his eyes again quickly, focusing on finishing the task.  Once complete, Dom transported his creation to their location and draped it over his starfighter. Only after repeating the process to hide Ahsoka's ship did he risk a glance at the Jedi.  She stared openly at him, arms crossed, a smile on her face that Dom could only interpret as approving. Before Dom could say anything, Ahsoka clapped him on the shoulder.  

"Nice work. Let's go."   

With that, she bounded off the ledge to another rocky outcropping below.  Dom's brain registered its surprise, and he scrambled from his position to follow.  Hopping from ledge to ledge, they used the Force to cover huge distances to the valley floor.  Dom took a quick glance over his shoulder to trace back their path to the ships, finding them difficult to spot.  He felt a moment of satisfaction before he realized that he was falling behind.  

While Bernie was one of the most powerful Jedi Dom had encountered, it was clear that Ahsoka's gifts of speed and strength emanated from the energy of youth.  If Dom struggled to keep up with Bernie, it was because she used experience and talent to augment her physical abilities with the Force.  Dom realized that keeping up with Ahsoka was challenging because she leveraged her Force abilities with raw physical power.  He took a few riskier leaps to catch up, and suddenly found himself teetering on the edge of deep crevasse.  Ahsoka had disappeared within it.  He looked down to see pebbles careen off the edge into the darkness.  

Ahsoka's voice emanated from below.  The rocks gave it an odd echo.  "Are you coming, Dom?"  

Dom used Force sight to scan the narrow cut in the rocks to get a sense of its depth.  He could sense Ahsoka's presence on a narrow trail at the very bottom.  Channeling the air to slow his descent, Dom leaped off the edge into the darkness, and landed just shy of a few rocks that he wagered would have impaled him.  Squeezing through two large boulders, he emerged on the other side to find Ahsoka waiting for him.  She had a small device in each hand that he couldn't quite identify. They were in a narrow tunnel with a light ahead.  The rocks were damp.  Water seeped from cracks in large slabs to pool at their feet.   

"Can you swim?" she asked as she started running again, this time towards the light.  She tossed a device back to him, and he realized it was an aquata breather.        

Catching the breather in one hand, Dom's brow furrowed as he barreled after her.  "Why?" he hollered ahead.   

"We can go over it, under it, or through it," she called back.  "I vote for under it." With that, Ahsoka launched herself over the ledge into the daylight.  She held the aquata breather in her teeth.  Arms outstretched, she somersaulted mid-air, diving towards the deep pool at the base of a drainage basin that was filled with waterfalls from all sides.  Dom used his Force sight to follow her trajectory and evaluate the terrain, as well as the pool's depth.  Not quite ready to dive head first, he shoved the breather into his mouth with one hand and created a Force catapult to propel him away from the rock ledge into the open air.  Once airborne, he channeled the air around his feet to skate across air currents until he felt safe to fall into the pool, feet-first.  

The water was cold, very cold.  Dom quickly shifted his attention to channel the Force to alter the temperature of the water immediately surrounding him.  Sensing Ahsoka's presence ahead, he began to swim blindly towards it.  How did she know where she was going?  Dom guessed that she must have studied the terrain thoroughly before their arrival. He admired her preparation.  As they swam to greater depth, the hazy shadows were replaced with darkness.  Dom sensed the presence of huge fish among the depths that had repopulated these waters over millennia.  Using a combination of sensation and Force sight, Dom followed Ahsoka through a narrow channel that linked surface waters to the pools of underground caverns.  

Slowly, a hazy light began to appear in the distance. Dom kicked up to swim towards the surface.  As he emerged, he saw Ahsoka's figure ahead.  Bio-luminescent creatures lit across the water, triggered by their every move.  Dom pulled the aquata breather from his mouth, and shoved it in a utility pouch that hung from his belt.  He waded to the bank of the pool and took in the surroundings of the cavern.  There was a deep thrumming sound ahead.  He tilted his head and augmented his hearing. 

"Do you hear that?" Dom turned to Ahsoka who was wiping water from her horns.   Shaking water from his hair, Dom increased the rate of air across his clothes to dry them quickly.  

Ahsoka nodded.  "Yes.  The caves ahead are filled with kyber crystals. We have to take our time from this point forward.  We're entering abandoned crystal mines below the ancient temples.  We'll work our way up to the temple through the library to the grounds."  

Ahsoka packed away her breathing device, and adjusted the lightsaber at her right hip.  She pulled the holomap from her utility belt, and flipped the image on.  The red dot pulsed as it had before, but it was larger.  They had clearly covered a good distance in their first leg.  Dom scanned the map to see a network of tunnels branching upwards from their location. 

"One more thing, Dom.  Master Hanssen offered a word of caution to me about the temple. Many of these routes haven't been explored since the Great Sith War.  I have no idea what we'll encounter.  He reminded me that the Jedi that left this place would have wanted to prevent the loss of its treasures to the Dark Side."  

"Good thing we serve the light." Dom glanced at Ahsoka to see how his joke landed.  He couldn't quite see her face in the dim light of the cave, but he thought he saw her frown at his statement.  Before he could say another word, she was off again.  He ran after her, following the blue glow of the holomap.

The tunnels were far more extensive than Dom could have ever imagined.  Each time he thought he had a sense of their position, Ahsoka would veer away from where he anticipated they would go.  Just as Dom started to fatigue, he heard what sounded like a bird.  He stopped suddenly and looked up.  The tunnels had started to widen, and there was enough light that he could make out the faint traces of rocky outcroppings overhead.  Dom augmented his sight with the Force and scanned the tunnel again. 

"Dom?" Ahsoka called back.  

"I'm ok.  Did you hear that?"  Dom started walking towards Ahsoka who had stopped ahead to wait for him.  

"Hear what, Dom?" 

"A bird?" Dom's face pinched with uncertainty.  Once it left his mouth he realized that it sounded ridiculous.  

"What kind of bird?"  Dom couldn't detect any skepticism in Ahsoka's voice, and let go of his insecurities.  

"Honestly, I've never heard anything quite like it." 

"Let's stop for a minute.  We need to rest.  Here."  Ahsoka opened the pouch on her belt and pulled out a protein and veg stick combo for each of them to eat.  

Dom accepted the rations, and realized how hungry he was.  They walked slowly together as they ate in silence, cooling down before they sat in meditation.  Dom offered Ahsoka his flask.  He had filled it with berry fruit juice before leaving Dantooine.  She took a sip and smiled in surprise, taking a longer, second gulp before handing it back to him.   

"I think that we should listen together for the birdsong." Ahsoka said. 

"I could have been hearing things." 

"Then we will hear nothing together."  Her reply was so simple and straightforward that Dom had no reply.    

Ahsoka gestured to the ground and sat cross-legged.  Dom capped his flask and joined her.  He closed his eyes, settling into the silence.  After taking a few moments to find his breath, he reached out with the Force to sense his surroundings.  Ahsoka's presence had been clear from the moment he had met her, and now it seemed to fill the space.  Dom took time to reflect on her confidence.  It was something he had never quite figured out.  

Settling further into the silence, Dom shifted his attention to listen.  The moment he used the Force to augment his hearing, the song was present.  He knew instantly that it was no bird song.  Though it whistled with the clarity of spring sounds, there was an aspect of wailing, no, howling that called to him.  The song was more than a simple melody, it resonated the harmonies of a chorus.  It was as if he were a lone wolf and his pack was calling for him.  

Dom let the sounds carry his spirit away from his body to travel through the tunnels.  He approached a small room, carved to one side of the tunnel.  In the room, there was a wooden ladder leaned through a hole in the floor.  Light poured out of the hole, illuminating the room.  The chorus flooded his senses.  It was as if he could see sound, taste sound, feel sound.  Suddenly, Dom felt the room shake.  The sound began to diminish rapidly, as the room shook again.  In the distance, Dom heard another song, no, a voice. 

"Dom!"

Dom's spirit was pulled back into his body, and it was Ahsoka's voice that filled his ears.  The room was not shaking, it was his body that was moving.  Ahsoka had one hand firmly planted on each of his shoulders, and she shook him without mercy.  She called out his name again.  Dom's eyes fluttered open, and he took in the Togruta's face just inches from his own.  

"I'm ok, I'm ok!" Dom tried to reassure Ahsoka, confused by her actions.  It was poor practice for one Jedi to interrupt the meditations of another.  

Ahsoka looked at him suspiciously.  "What language were you singing in?" 

Dom gave her a confused look.  "I wasn't singing, was I?" 

"You've been singing for the past hour.  It confused me, but it was more alarming when you stopped." 

"An hour? But, but we just started our meditation!" 

Ahsoka's eyes widened.  "Dom, we've been sitting together for over an hour." 

"You didn't hear it?"

"No.  Well, I heard you singing."  

Dom blew a frustrated breath through his lips.  His mouth felt dry and his throat was sore.  Had he been singing? He thought of the room the song had taken him to see.  

"I was guided to a room with a ladder through a hole in the floor.  I think we may be meant to find it."

 Ahsoka nodded slowly, her eyes were still wide.  "Where did you see it?"  

"Up ahead, to the left of a secondary tunnel." 

Ahsoka placed her hands on her knees, and pushed herself up.  She dusted off her skirt with her hands.  "Well, do you think you can find it?" 

Dom sighed and swallowed hard.  He uncrossed his legs and placed his hands on his knees.  His muscles tingled.  "I think so." 

Ahsoka leaned towards him, one arm outstretched to offer a hand up.   "Then lead the way." 


	15. Trial of the Spirit

Just as Dom's hope began to flag, they found the antechamber from his vision.  The song's volume had gone from faint to overwhelming in a matter of minutes.  He was using the Force now to block its influence; its unfiltered notes made him dizzy.  Though the hole in the floor brightened the room, Dom sensed darkness from the chamber below.  Ahsoka stood at the doorway.  Her hesitation gave him pause.  She had bounded towards every dark corner without reservation up until this point.  He wondered about her sudden change. 

Ahsoka turned to him.  "I'm not sure if I'm meant to go with you down the ladder."  

Dom's reaction betrayed his surprise.  He had assumed that she would go with him.  A small ball formed in the pit of his stomach.   Mumbling an "Alright, then," he steeled himself and strode to the ladder.  He peered through the hole.  The light was blinding to him after hours spent in the dim tunnels.  He squinted and blinked, trying to acclimate his eyes as quickly as he could.  Dom reached out to scan the area for any Force energy signatures.  Sensing none, he grasped the worn wooden sides of the ladder.  He placed a foot on the first rung.  It broke immediately under his weight.  He gave a nervous glance to Ahsoka, who stood at the doorway, arms crossed.  

Taking a deep breath, Dom eased his weight onto the second rung.  It held.  He slowly descended the ladder.  The song intensified.  Another rung broke under his weight, and he gripped the sides of the ladder.  Dropping the last few meters, a small cloud of dust formed at his feet as he landed.  He coughed, looking around the chamber.  The stone walls of the room were smooth, and they appeared to have been carved by hand.  Common crystals had been transformed into fixtures that jutted from the walls.  Dom had no idea how they were generating light.  At its far end, the room narrowed into a tunnel.  

His instincts contradicted one another.  Part of him felt compelled to walk through the tunnel, while the other part told him to turn around and climb back up.  The song called to him again, and he took cautious steps away from the ladder.  The light dimmed as he continued through the tunnel, until he stood just inside the opening of a huge second chamber.  

The chamber was dark, but for a ray of light that illuminated a small spot in the center of the room.  Dom inched towards it.  A small cage sat in the center of the light, and a dove was perched within it.  The door to the cage was open, but the dove made no attempt to leave. 

Dom's first instinct was to reach for the bird, to comfort it, but he feared it would fly away.  In the distance, a figure approached.  A black cloak covered the figure, and a hood was drawn over its face.  Dom could sense waves of darkness rippling from its presence.  He drew his lightsaber, but hesitated to engage the blade.  The dark figure ignored him, and lifted the cage.  The bird tittered, its nervousness apparent.  A gloved hand darted into the cage, grabbing the legs of the dove and yanking it out.  The figure dropped the cage, and Dom winced at the ring of metal as it struck the ground.  The bird was panicked now.  Its wings flapped wildly and it began to vocalize its concern with sharp calls. 

Before Dom realized what was happening, his blade hissed to life.  He charged the figure in black, running head first into an invisible wall.   Knocked off his feet and stunned, Dom shook his head as blackness encroached his vision, willing the stars to settle though they circled the edges of his periphery.  He reached out with the Force to penetrate the defense, with no luck.  The stronger his efforts, the more opaque the wall became.  

Dom realized that all he could do was observe, for the moment.  He watched the figure calm the dove, though its grip on the bird's legs was still tight.  The dove settled, and Dom watched in horror as the figure began to pluck the bird's feathers one by one.  The dove screamed and writhed after the first two, so the figure paused to calm it.  More feathers, more writhing, more calming.  Darkness began overtake the small beam of light in the center, and the figure continued its task.  A pile of feathers accumulated at its feet. Eventually, the dove was naked.   

The figure placed the dove on the cold ground.  No longer able to fly, the bird shivered.  Dom hoped it would try to run or hide.  Looking up, he saw the figure pull at leather fingers to remove one glove, exposing a gnarled hand with swollen knuckles and thick, purple veins.  Leaning to the ground, the figure extended its bare hand to the bird.  Dom watched in shock as the bird barely hesitated before hopping into the offered hand.  It nestled down into the aging skin.  Horrified, Dom realized that the bird was so desperate for warmth, that it was willing to submit to the one that had stripped it.  Tears streamed down Dom's face, and he scrambled to his feet.  He rushed forward and struck the wall with his lightsaber repeatedly, but it left no mark or scratch.       

Suddenly, the figure turned to stare at him.  The wall disintegrated and the figure extended its hand to Dom, creating an opportunity to save the bird.  Dom lowered his weapon and reached forward to take the bird from its enemy.  The bird pecked at Dom's hand feverishly with more fear than it had yet exhibited.  Dom tried again, and the bird recoiled, pecking until it drew blood from his hand.  Laughter filled the room.  The figure placed its gloved hand over the bird and engulfed it in flames.  

'No!" Dom cried out, lunging for the bird, which was little more than a pile of ash.  He turned quickly, swinging his blade in a broad arc to destroy the hooded figure.  His blade met air.  The figure was gone.  Dom began to feel dizzy again.  Drawn to the empty cage, he leaned forward to pick it up.  A single crystal sat in its center.  

Dom reached out tentatively to the crystal with the Force.  Within moments, he felt a deep sense of calm.  The crystal radiated white light and hummed. Dom placed his hand over the crystal to test its temperature.  It felt cool to the touch.  He picked it up, and felt energy cascade through his arm.  It wasn't unpleasant.  Placing the cage down, the light disappeared from the room, and the sound of the figure's laughter filled his mind.  

Cramming the crystal into a pocket, Dom ran through the tunnel and scrambled up the ladder. He emerged from the hole in the floor, covered in ash.  Rivulets from his tears had carved paths in the ash that ran down his cheeks.  He tried to wipe them away with the palm of each hand, instead smudging ash across his face.  

Ahsoka stood waiting for him in the doorway, just as he'd left her.  Concern washed over her face.  "Dom, are you okay?" 

"Can we please leave?" It was clear that Ahsoka sensed the distress in his energy and the tone of his voice.  He was grateful when she simply nodded, turning to leave the room together.  They walked at a brisk pace and in silence for some time.  Ahsoka paused at a small pool, pulling a folded square cloth from her belt.  Kneeling, she soaked the cloth in the water and wrung it out before handing it to Dom.  He began to wipe his face, but stopped for a moment to hold the cloth against his forehead. The cool fabric felt good against his skin.  Ahsoka held out her hand, and Dom returned the cloth.  She submerged and wrung it out every time he returned it until he felt calm and cool.  

They continued slowly, and Ahsoka consulted the holomap occasionally.  Once they rejoined the main tunnel, she placed a hand on his shoulder.  Dom flinched.  They stopped for a moment, and Ahsoka looked at Dom though he couldn't meet her gaze. 

"I'm not sure what you experienced, Dom.  You never have to talk about it.  If you choose to share, I am here.  Master Wolfe warned me that bringing you here at this time in your training carried with it risks.  She asked me to be here for you in her absence."  

Dom looked up at Ahsoka, their eyes meeting.  He saw sincere concern reflected in her eyes. He said nothing, so she continued.  

"My trial felt like it appeared out of thin air.  It shattered me.  My master tried to prepare me, but it is impossible to know what will happen. What I want to tell you, Dom, is that what you've seen is not inevitable.  There is truth in it, but it is not a prophecy.  Think of it as a mirror that has been held up to help you see the parts of yourself you may be reluctant to confront." 

Dom yanked his shoulder out from under her hand.  "I don't understand. What could I possibly learn from a traumatized bird?" Dom felt a pang of shame at his outburst.  Why was he so moved by a bird that wouldn't even help itself?   

Ahsoka let her arm drop slowly, "You don't have to figure it out right now.  But what you saw was meant for you."  She pulled out the holomap and gestured to a split in the path ahead.  "It looks like we're not far from the tunnels that lead to the library." 

Dom shrugged, adjusted his belt, and avoided eye contact.  "Best we get going then." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full disclosure: The imagery of the dove is taken from a legend surrounding an old dictator as he attempts to identify a successor.  
> You can Google "Stalin bird story" to read about it. 
> 
> Coincidentally, after writing this chapter, I received a postcard featuring the work of Sandra Bierman entitled "The Dove".  
> You can find it online. (http://sandrabierman.com/art/2-11_p.html) 
> 
> The art on the postcard was paired with a quote from Thich Nhat Hanh: "We are here to awaken from our illusion of separateness." 
> 
> Let's just say that it connects closely to Dom's journey. (Very cool.)


	16. Uncalibrated

The Eyre began its descent to the planet's surface.  As she double-checked the landing coordinates, Serena looked over to Bernie.  

"You do realize that you are now obligated to deliver the so-called 'traditional rules' of Adovse Jengu next week?  Jason has spent the past three days obsessing about whether or not our set will work." Serena caught Bernie's quiet chuckle and wondered if such rules even existed.  Corellians had a flair for exaggeration, though underestimating them was as dangerous as gullibility.  

"I mean it, Bernie."  

At this, Bernie let out a characteristic laugh that Serena was beginning to learn indicated the Jedi's sincere delight.  

"There's nothing to worry about.  They exist.  They're actually quite fun if you have a competitive streak. Do you have a competitive streak, Ms. Campbell?"  Bernie's tone exuded the implication that she knew the answer to her own question.   

Serena cast a coy, sideways glance and keyed in the landing sequence.  "Whatever would have given you that idea?" 

Serena felt the landing gear engage as Bernie placed the Eyre down along the rim of a massive canyon.  The planet Bernie had chosen for the veil testing was sufficiently outside of Imperial trade routes to avoid detection, but the journey only took a few hours using advanced hyperspace calculations.  She silently offered a prayer of thanks to the engineers that had gifted the Alliance that new advantage.   

As they descended the loading ramp, Serena first noticed the presence of incredible Force energy.  It was as apparent as the hot, dry air of the planet.  Crusted soil crunched beneath their feet, indicating that the rocky surface hadn't felt rain in a while.  Tendrils from wiry plants with small white and yellow flowers clung to ground in clumps, holding pockets of dust in place.  If the breeze was as warm as it was at this elevation, she couldn't imagine temperatures in the canyon valley below.  Serena wondered casually if this portion of the planet was inhabited and thought to ask Bernie, but the beauty of the canyon distracted her.   

From their position on the rim, they had a breathtaking view of monoliths and plateaus that extended for miles.  Stratified layers of rock had been deposited over centuries, only to be revealed in subsequent centuries of erosion.  It reminded Serena of paintings her mother had created using a technique that banded paint across a canvas in layers that were scraped away delicately to give shape to the subject. The greenish river that snaked along the valley floor had carved wavy contours across the rock surfaces.  Serena realized that the river's powerful current looked deceptively passive from the rim, noting the small white accents at this distance that were raging whitewater up close. 

Grateful that Bernie had cautioned her to wear light layers, Serena pulled the thin fabric of her scarf across her head to screen out the sun.  Through squinted eyes, she noticed that Bernie hadn't chosen to change from the heavy tunic and pants she wore regularly.  Yet, the Jedi gave no indication that she noticed the heat. 

"You're altering the environment, aren't you?"  Serena said.  

"Feeling the heat, Senator?"  Bernie handed Serena a metal case and slung the strap of a larger crate over her shoulder.  

"Perhaps we could take advantage of the shade?"

Serena gestured to the nearest cluster of shaggy, coniferous trees that dotted the landscape.  Nothing seemed to grow very large here.  Serena barely saw the Jedi's small smile before she felt her skin tingle.  Suddenly, the air was warm, but pleasant.  She felt a subtle breeze that was cool, as if it had come from the ocean instead of the desert.  The intensity of the sun diminished.  She looked up to see the sky as clear and purple as it had been moments before.  It felt as though clouds had rolled in, though the only clouds Serena could see were far off in the distance. 

Serena looked quickly at Bernie, studying the Jedi to see if there was any discernible effort made.  

"How are you doing this?" Serena wondered aloud, her question rhetorical.  She was surprised when Bernie replied as if to teach her.  

"Using the Force requires an understanding of what exists within and around you, depending on what it is that you are trying to channel.  If altering our environment required the reserves of my own energy, it would be impossible to sustain for any period of time.  But mastering the wind doesn't require energy from within.  Instead, I leverage a small element of my own energy to guide the energy that surrounds us." 

Bernie paused, her dark eyes calm and steady.  

"Would you like to try to alter the environment around me, Serena?"  

Serena felt an eyebrow raise and knew the incredulous look on her face must reflect the surprise she felt at the absurd suggestion. 

"Bernie, what in the world are you implying?  I am no Jedi."  

Bernie stood quietly, as if Serena had not replied.  Serena went on, "I couldn't condense a rain drop, much less shift a weather pattern."  

"Have you ever tried?"  

Serena became impatient, telling herself that they had work to do.  Entertaining ridiculous ideas was a waste of time. 

"I'm not sure what game you're playing at, Major, but I will not serve as padawan in Dom's absence." Serena was surprised at how harsh her tone had become.  

Bernie shifted her gaze to look off in the distance, squinting.  The Jedi spoke softly.  "No games, Serena. Just curiosity. "  

Serena looked away, her jaw was set and she noticed that her breathing had accelerated. It was clear that her comment about Dom had struck a nerve with Bernie.  Really, she had crossed a line.  And so unnecessarily.  Why had she done that?  She knew that Dom's training was a priority for Bernie no matter the circumstances.  According to Bail, Bernie stayed with their delegation on the condition that a capable Jedi would support her padawan's ongoing training.  He was clearly important to her.      

"I'm sorry.  Bernie, really, I shouldn't have used Dom's absence to... well, you know.... Why does such an attempt at Force use even matter?  I, for one, would rather see how this veil performs. Can we please do that?"   

They stood there for a moment, staring out in different directions.  

"What would be the harm in trying?" Bernie said.  

A quick glance at Bernie revealed that the Jedi had started to sweat though Serena remained comfortable.  

"Oh, this is silly. Bernie, please."  Serena reached out to Bernie with the Force and felt that the Jedi's temperature had already risen a degree.  She looked at the pale skin and blonde hair and realized that Bernie was probably sensitive to heat and sunburn.  Serena rolled her eyes in frustration. 

"If I try this, can we please get on with the veil tests?" 

With this statement, she saw a smirk on the Jedi's face.  

"Nothing would please me more," Bernie said.  

Serena tossed back her head scarf and approached Bernie.  

"What do I do?"  Serena's tone was demanding, but she was softening to the idea.  She would demonstrate to Bernie that her gifts were limited to healing and leave it at that.  

Sweat poured down Bernie's face, though she remained a picture of calm.  She gave simple instructions.  "Reconsider how you perceive the air around me, and think about the molecules of gas spinning quickly.  They are agitated.  Try calming them down."  

Serena rolled her eyes, looked at the Jedi one last time and muttered, "They're not the only ones".  She shook her head and sighed.  "I'm not carrying you to the ship once you pass out, you know."  

"Just breathe, Serena.  Focus on observing the air in this moment, and then in the next."

With that, Serena took a deep centering breath as she would do if she were assessing a patient. She tried to picture the air surrounding Bernie.  What was she looking for, exactly?  She pulled air in through her nose and released it slowly through her mouth, letting go of the tension she had been holding.  She closed her eyes, breathed again and opened her eyes.  It felt as if time slowed, and the space surrounding them came into clear relief.  Serena glanced up quickly to see if the Jedi was doing anything, and saw those steady eyes staring back at her.  She focused her attention on the fringe at Bernie's eyes.  Air moved the errant hairs slightly.  Suddenly, Serena saw the eddy of air that moved it.  It was as if she had shaken an old cloth in the sun's rays; the molecules caught the light with a dusty character.  

Serena took another breath.  This time, she saw a larger swirl across the Jedi's shoulders.  She reached out to it.  Another breath.   _Calm._  Serena thought to no one. _Calm down._  She felt her lips moving as she said the words.  She took another breath, repeating the words like a mantra.  Serena closed her eyes, and reached out to feel the energy in the air surrounding Bernie.  

"Serena."  She heard Bernie's voice from some distance.  

"Serena."  This time with urgency.  

"Serena!" 

Her eyes snapped open and she looked at the Jedi.  Small crystals of ice had formed on Bernie's shoulders and eyebrows. Her hair was laced with snow.  Serena's jaw dropped, her eyes wide.  She blinked a few times and rushed to Bernie.  

"Are you alright?" 

Bernie nodded quickly, her grin widening.  

Once Serena was sure the Jedi was okay, her brow furrowed.  "Why didn't you stop me?" 

Bernie laughed.  "With the Force Veils, I wasn't sure how best to go about it."  

Serena looked at Bernie, who was clearly regulating the environment for both of them once again.  Relief turned into giggles.  Bernie joined the laughter until Serena stopped abruptly as it dawned on her.    

"I did that?" Serena asked.

"You did."  Bernie said. 

*****

Bernie unpacked specialized sensors from the larger crate and set up the equipment in a circle.  She took her time, using the opportunity to think about Serena's initial success with the Force alteration.  Though the veil made it difficult to sense what was happening, Bernie believed that Serena had just scratched the surface of her potential.  Bernie realized that she was lucky that she hadn't had to protect herself.  That would have been a stunning way to go, head in a block of ice... True, Serena had been using the Force her whole life in the service of healing.  However, she had seen Jedi practice a new skill for the first time with far less success.  Bernie cast a quick glance in Serena's direction, wondering why such a powerful woman on a core planet had been overlooked by the Jedi Council. 

Serena pulled the modified Force Veil and monitoring tablet from the metal case. The prototype looked similar to the veil Bernie wore on her wrist, but it functioned differently. Chonyo had widened the range of dampening frequencies emitted by the veil using modified fragments of kyber crystals Bernie had provided.  Absent proper calibration, the extended range produced a less effective cloak across a wider variety of Force signatures.  The hope was that it would cloak a Force presence for most Jedi under the most basic circumstances.  Their job today was to test the current model's capacity and identify where it might fail in the field.  

Removing her veil from her wrist, Bernie handed the leather cuff to Serena in exchange for the uncalibrated prototype.  She saw Serena's eyes widen. 

"What is it?" 

"I can sense you again.  Loud and clear."  

Bernie smiled, wondering what it would feel like to sense Serena's presence without veiling.  

"Let's see if the new veil can dampen that a bit," Bernie said.  She reached towards Serena, who pulled her hand back.   

"We need to establish a clear baseline first," Serena instructed.  

"Where do you think we should start?" Bernie asked.  She had created a list of Force techniques that they planned to run through.  Each technique harnessed slightly different elements of the Force, with varying levels of difficulty and intensity.  While this veil wasn't designed to cover all ranges of Force use, Chonyo had practically begged them to gather data on as many techniques as they could, with and without the veils. 

Serena tapped a few commands into the tablet software and looked up at Bernie.  

"Let's start small, and build up.  You'll have to stop altering the environment for a moment in order for us to get a reasonable control value."  

Bernie nodded at Serena's instructions and let go of the Force.  She walked to the center of the equipment circle.  As the heat began to rise, Bernie waited for Serena to collect the data.  She watched small beads of sweat form on Serena's forehead and a single band that ran down the senator's neck.  Bernie watched the bead as it trailed across Serena's collarbone and down her chest.  She looked up to see a frown on Serena's face.  Bernie considered the possibility that Serena had found her stare inappropriate.  

"That's strange," Serena said.  

"What is it?"  

"I'm detecting Force usage.  Are you sure that you're in a completely neutral state?" 

Bernie shrugged.  "I don't know.  Dr. Chonyo suggested the possibility that any Force-sensitive individual may generate unconscious fields of Force use."  

"Yes, but these levels are above what we calculated in our estimates for expected background levels."  Serena's looked up from the tablet.  "They've dropped suddenly. Has anything changed?"    
Bernie opened her mouth slightly to respond, only to close it again.  She looked down. The only change had been that she'd redirected her attention from the curve of Serena's breasts to their discussion.  She swallowed and cleared her throat.  "If it's stable now, perhaps we just needed a moment to get started."  

"Perhaps," Serena replied.  She didn't seem completely convinced.  

"Sh-, shall we begin?" Bernie asked. 

Serena nodded her head, offering a suggestion.  "Why don't you try basic telekinesis?"  

Bernie nodded, grateful to let go of the awkwardness and focus on building a pile of stones that hovered together in a perfect pyramid.  Serena tapped on the tablet, logging the data.  She looked up with a smile.  

"Next level?" 

Bernie nodded again.  Holding the stones, she felt her feet leave the ground.  The air's energy swirled around her as she slowly rose, floating ethereally above the circle. 

Serena's brow furrowed.  "Too high, Bernie."  

Bernie allowed herself to drop down slowly, remaining a meter from the ground's surface but within range of the sensors. She waited for Serena to look up again, and reached out to slowly lift everything within the immediate circle, including Serena.  After a few initial expletives, Serena gave Bernie a sharp look.  

"Apologies," Bernie said, smothering a smirk.  She brought them back to the ground, and let go of the Force.  "What next?"  

Serena took a moment to adjust her cloak and navigate the software to the next task. 

"How about something that doesn't include me this time?"  Serena threw a wink and a smile at the Jedi and offered a suggestion. "Perhaps the next level of environmental alteration?" 

With a nod, Bernie looked past Serena at the clouds in the distance.  Her eyes closed in concentration.  She directed her energy to shift the winds, alter the pressure, drop the temperature, and increase the humidity.   Clouds began to build, and the deep rumbling of thunder was heard in the distance. Several bolts of lightning cascaded across the sky in branched patterns.  

Bernie opened her eyes to see that Serena was no longer monitoring the data, but looking at Bernie with a bit of awe. 

"On a scale of one to ten, where would you place that little feat?"

Bernie shrugged before replying. "I don't tend to quantify Force abilities as you might." 

Serena was undeterred.  "But, how much energy did that require?  Could you do more if I asked you to?"  

"It did not require much of my energy, but it did require deep concentration.  Serena, you know that each Jedi has a different set of skills, based not only on their innate abilities, but their experiences and training."  

"Of course, why?" 

Bernie tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and and looked up, her face scrunched as she considered how to share without sounding pedantic or disclosing more than Serena cared to hear.  

"You know that I spent a considerable amount of time on my own in the Outer Rim?" 

Serena nodded and Bernie continued.  "There would be hours each evening over the course of months where I would play with clouds and their shape.  I learned a tremendous amount about systems and patterns during that time.  It allows me to manipulate the environment with far less energy than a Jedi who uses the Force to change conditions with raw power." 

Unable to read Serena's expression, Bernie paused, trying to find another way to explain.  Before she could respond, Serena's next question caught Bernie by surprise.  "Were you lonely during that time in the Outer Rim?  All those years on your own?"  

Bernie reflected on the question and Serena misinterpreted her silence. 

"Forgive me if I've overstepped, I didn't mean to pry, I just..." 

"It's okay Serena, really. It, it didn't feel lonely at the time."  Bernie meant to reassure her, and was surprised when her profound ineptitude at expressing personal emotion kicked in.  She paused, exhaling as she directed all of her attention to the ground in front of her.  She decided to plow forward.  "To be honest, it's only recently that I've started to reflect on whether or not it was wise to be alone for that long."  She glanced up to assess Serena's reaction. 

They made eye contact, and she detected a slight blush in Serena's cheeks.  Bernie wasn't sure what it was she was trying to convey.  The tone had shifted from conversational to awkward, and Bernie couldn't figure out what to say next, so she said nothing.  

They continued the tests without the veil in relative silence.  Bernie tried to bury the anxiety she felt by offering suggestions on techniques while Serena nodded and keyed information to code the data collected.  Bernie also saw her taking notes, presumably of what she sensed during each test.  Bernie felt strangely exposed without the veil. 

The awkwardness began to dissolve as they playfully negotiated how they would test Jedi mind tricks and coercion techniques.  It was likely that Dom, Ahsoka, or Mo would need to use some combined form of stealth and coercion while remaining veiled.  Serena was the only available guinea pig for the day's tests.  She was understandably reluctant to experience coercion, regardless of her trust in Bernie.  They created playful scenarios, and Bernie enjoyed the mild flirtation.  

Serena teased her, "Am I going to need a signed confidentiality agreement?"  There was little to worry about.  The Senator was anything but weak minded.  Serena tapped her tablet a few times, pulling up their checklist.  

"Since we've reached stealth techniques, what is this one on the list? Force camouflage?" Serena asked.  

Bernie figured showing was better than telling.  She manipulated the angle of light surrounding her, rendering her form invisible.  As she held the light, Bernie altered sound waves to block what Serena could hear.  Finally, she tapped into the edge of darkness to create a Force cloud.  She walked silently to the other end of the circle, and released the Force.  To Serena, it would have appeared that she evaporated into thin air, only to reappear some distance away.    

Serena was shocked, and not amused.  "If you can do that, why are we wasting time with the veils?"  

Bernie laughed.  "It would be easier for me to terraform this canyon than hold a Force cloak convincingly for any length of time. It takes an incredible amount of concentration and energy, even for Jedi Masters."  She debated internally how to share with Serena that the Force clouding she had used with the camouflage was almost exclusively a sith technique. "Not to mention that I don't expect that any of our friends have spent much time studying stealth with the Disciples of Twilight, though I had hoped Dom would be able to some day."  

Serena rubbed her temple as she sorted through what Bernie was sharing. "And I suppose you'll tell me all about these disciples at some point?"

"I bet Jason would enjoy the topic," Bernie said.  

"Undoubtedly."  Serena held up the new wrist brace.  "Time for the veil?" 

Bernie approached Serena, who held the leather band out as she had when they first met. As she secured the cuff on Bernie's wrist, Serena spoke softly.  "For someone who spent so much time alone, you make excellent company."  Bernie watched her glance up quickly and offer a small smile, before turning back to the tablet and the business at hand.  

Serena cleared her throat.  "We'll have to walk through each of the techniques in the same order. Though let's skip the part where you lifted me like the equipment crate."

Bernie grinned.  "But that would create methodological variance, Ms. Campbell."   


	17. Poison

As they moved the equipment back to the Eyre, Serena let herself soak in the energy of the canyon. She wondered if it was the reason she had been so successful in her earlier attempt at altering the environment. There hadn't been time to fully consider all the influencing factors, but she had no other explanation for what had happened.  

She lifted a metal case onto the ship's ramp and walked back to Bernie.   
"It's an unusual planet. The presence of the Force is remarkable."  

Bernie leaned against the crate they were getting ready to load.

"I've always thought so. From what I've been able to discover, the planet is steeped in Jedi and Sith history. Old history. They called it Ambria."  

For all its significance, Serena had never heard of the planet. It amazed her how much remained unknown in the midst of all their advances in sector mapping and technology.  

"Is that why you chose this planet? I can't imagine our Force signatures would be detectable in the midst of the ambient energy I sense on this planet."  

"Partially. I'm fairly certain the Empire has no idea that it exists, though the Sith may.  I've felt drawn to this planet ever since I found it as a padawan.  It's always felt, familiar."  

"Really?"  

Serena reached out with the Force, trying to see if it felt familiar to her.  Instead, she found herself searching for Bernie's presence. She had enjoyed the time spent with Bernie unveiled.  

"I can't explain it," Bernie said, before gazing off in the distance. Her eyes narrowed, and her head tilted slightly.  "Do you sense that?" 

Serena reached out with the Force, instantly detecting two dark beings in the wash of light energy. She faced the direction of the darkness and scanned the landscape. Everything appeared as it had before.  

Bernie took out her lightsaber, it's purple blade crackled in the dry air. "Serena, please stand behind me."  

Serena's eyes widened. She followed Bernie's line of sight across the vast, empty landscape.  She could sense the increasing proximity of the darkness, but saw nothing. Until, she saw it. The air shimmered as it had when Bernie demonstrated the Force camouflage. Something was approaching at a breakneck pace, and it had harnessed the Force to render itself invisible. While unable to hold the cloak completely, the beings had certainly harnessed it effectively.   

Rifling through her pack, she pulled out the blaster Fletch had given her. Though she had tried to return it to him, he insisted she keep it after saving his life. It was as much a joke as a practical consideration. Fletch had smirked openly as she recounted to him how Bernie had handed it to her in the cave. He knew that she had never fired a blaster before, and asked if she even knew how to hold one. _Ha ha, Mr. Fletcher, very funny._  She had informed him that there was no need to let the Jedi know that, thank you very much.

As she gripped the pistol, she made a mental note to thank Fletch for the afternoon of target practice that he had also insisted upon. As it turned out, she was quite the shot. Following Bernie's suggestion, Serena took a few steps to stand behind her and placed a hand on the Jedi's shoulder. 

"What do you think that they are?" she asked.   

"First guess? Hssiss." 

Serena's voice dropped to a whisper. "No. Dark Side dragons?" 

"Whatever happens, make sure you avoid their fangs," Bernie said as she shifted her weight into a protective stance. 

"You'd do well to remember who you're talking to, Master Wolfe. I've healed two Jedi inflicted with such poison, though I've never seen a Hssiss in person."  

As if on cue, two enormous beasts materialized out of thin air. Serena drew a startled breath as she gaped at the beings before her. Dark bodies covered in hard scales raced forward on four legs, propelled by powerful muscles. The Hssiss were still several hundred meters away, but they were fast. The lizard qualities of each animal were enhanced by narrow snouts and long tails.  Rows of large spines covered their backs and tails.  Their feet ended in pointed claws. Serena knew that they were capable of eviscerating soft human bellies without a second thought.   

"They will attempt to team up against one of us first," Bernie warned.  

Serena responded by leveling the blaster over Bernie's shoulder and targeting the largest beast. She winced as bolts from her blaster ricocheted off the green scales. The creature slowed momentarily, the blast proving more of an irritant than a discouragement. Serena felt unexpected relief, she had never fired a weapon at another living being.   

She saw Bernie gesture slightly with one hand, and detected the presence of a Force barrier just before the two animals slammed into its invisible boundary. Stunned, the Hssiss shook their heads and clambered back to their feet. One screeched in an excruciating tone, which Serena thought to be more an expression of frustration than pain.   

It appeared that the pause was all Bernie had expected. Serena watched the Jedi leap across the distance, charging the larger of the two animals. While mid-air, Bernie lifted her left arm in the direction of the smaller Hssiss. A motion from the Jedi's flat palm, and the beast was launched across the landscape onto its back, leaving the larger animal on its own. As Bernie landed, she swung her blade to land blows against the heavy scales of the Hssiss to little effect. Serena tore her eyes from the action to check on the second animal.  She would be damned if there was nothing she could do to help Bernie.  

Although the smaller Hssiss had managed to right itself, it appeared to be limping. Serena estimated that its contact with the hard ground had dislocated a joint in its front leg. Her first inclination was to reach out with healing energy.  She chided herself. _Not helpful._ Reaching out with the Force, she felt for the creature's presence. The animal's head snapped up, a reaction to her contact. Her Force Veil appeared to confuse the animal as to the source of that contact. A quick glance back at Bernie revealed that the Jedi appeared to have her hands full. An intricate dance had started, the Hssiss would lunge forward, jaws snapping. Bernie would leap back and parry a series of swipes, including powerful strikes from the spiked tail.  

Looking back to where the smaller Hssiss had been, Serena panicked at its absence. In the blink of an eye, the animal materialized again. Though no longer as fast as it had been, it was headed towards her at an alarming speed. She leveled the blaster again, taking aim for the head. The first two blasts ricocheted off its thick skull. Focusing her attention to its eyes, Serena felt a deep sense of concentration as she directed a bolt to the right eye.  The blast hit its target, and the Hssiss screamed and collapsed a few meters from where she stood.  

She returned her attention to Bernie in time to observe the Jedi used a Force lift to expose the animal's softer underside. The Jedi arced her purple blade upwards, piercing the larger Hssiss below the chin and through its brain, killing it instantly. Bernie turned in her direction, and Serena smiled. Bernie's eyes widened suddenly and she called out. 

"Serena!" 

Before she could react, Serena felt searing pain across her left shoulder. Propelled forward by a blow from behind, she stumbled and fell to her knees. Flipping over and scrambling backwards, Serena raised her arms and braced for another attack. It took her a moment to realize that Bernie had launched the animal a considerable distance and now stood between her and the Hssiss. The Jedi charged the animal to finish it.  

The level of pain in Serena's shoulder escalated. Her skin felt like it was on fire, and the sharp, stabbing pains that consumed her left side made it difficult to breathe even the shallowest of breaths. She sat forward, head between her knees. Nausea threatened her stomach and her brain toyed with consciousness. A voice ran through her head.  _You're in shock, but you can't lay back. Close the wound, protect your core._  Reaching inward with the Force, she conducted a rapid body scan. Her attention was immediately drawn to the dark energy that threaded it's way into her muscles from the laceration.  Instinctively, Serena envisioned a containment field around the gash. She sensed the darkness as it pushed against this new barrier. The darkness sent out small tendrils, seeking a weakness in her defense.  She wove light energy into her barrier to reinforce it, and channeled energy to dull the pain. She slowly became aware of the warm, sticky wetness that seeped across her back.  The gash was deep enough that she was losing blood. 

As Serena began to lose consciousness, she felt strong arms cradle her gently.   

*****

Bernie placed Serena carefully on the medical table, keeping her weight on the uninjured side. Using the Force to draw materials to the bed without leaving Serena's side, Bernie grabbed a few pillows and placed them under Serena's limp form. She stabilized Serena at the shoulder and held pressure on the compress she had fashioned from the scarf Serena had been wearing. Catching a medstick, Bernie adjusted the concentration and administered a dose of bacta, followed by a sedative and pain killer. She heard a change in Serena's breathing, and was encouraged that the ragged, shallow breaths transitioned into slower, deeper breaths.  Hopefully most of the pain would subside. Offering a small prayer to the bacta gods, Bernie waited a few minutes and then gently eased pressure on the compress to see if the bleeding had stopped. To her great relief, the bacta's effects were apparent. Blood loss had subsided.

Bernie dropped the medstick to catch a pair of medical scissors that flew through the air into her hand. She cut away the blood-soaked fabric of Serena's tunic, as well as the thin chain that held Serena's Force Veil. As soon as the veil lost contact with Serena's skin, Bernie was acutely aware of the woman's unconscious presence before her. Waves of energy began to cascade across Bernie that were simultaneously familiar and new. There was a gentle push as each wave came in, and a tug as they pulled away. She felt the solid surroundings of the medical bay begin to disappear, as if it were sand being dragged into the ocean from under her feet. Bernie felt the power of an emotional riptide that bid her to wade in further.   

The sound of the scissors clattering on the floor alerted Bernie to the fact that she had been lost in an unconscious trance. She was almost as surprised by her reluctance to leave it as she was that it had happened at all. Bernie separated herself from the energy emanating from Serena. Ignoring her own disappointment at the circumstances of this first encounter with Serena's unveiled presence, Bernie set about the task of scanning Serena's Force energy with a new sense of caution. While controlling the bleeding had been the first priority, the potential effects of the poison were just as threatening. Bernie rapidly detected the pool of darkness within the vicinity of the wound, shocked that it remained localized to its point of entry. In her few encounters with Dark Side poison, she remembered that it had spread relentlessly.  

Reaching further with the Force, Bernie detected the edges of light energy that surrounded the dark energy. It was as if the poison had been encased in a bubble. Bernie withdrew her own Force energy slowly to avoid disturbing the barrier. She had no idea what Serena may have done to contain the poison, but she felt with certainty that it was beyond her own abilities. If the poison was restricted, Bernie reasoned that her best bet was to further stabilize Serena, and allow her to regain consciousness. 

The surgical droids came to life at Bernie's command, and she gave instructions to activate sensors and monitors to track Serena's vitals. Following the recommendations of the lead droid, Bernie administered a dose of bacta laced with erythropoietin, stimulating Serena's bone marrow to produce more blood. The droid successfully started an intravenous drip. Channeling the Force to remove the compress without disturbing the wound, Bernie investigated the rough edges of the laceration. Muscle and tendon pulsed feverishly as the bacta's regenerative powers took effect.  

Bernie had no idea what the extent of the damage was to Serena's shoulder, and let the surgical droid take the lead to protect the tissue and tendons. She walked to the other side of the table, and crouched beside Serena's head. The terrifying pallor of Serena's skin had diminished, and a healthy color was returning. Placing her fingers lightly on Serena's forehead, Bernie checked in on the poison and brushed the hair away from Serena's eyes. Satisfied that there was nothing more she could do, Bernie left the bay to secure the ship and communicate their status. 

*****

As she loaded the last of the equipment, Bernie shook her head in frustration. How had she allowed the Hssiss to come anywhere near Serena? She replayed those last minutes in her mind over and over. Bernie had been doing her best to dispose of the larger animal efficiently, while keeping the smaller Hssiss at arm's length. Just as she had discovered the Hssiss' weakness, she detected that the second animal had changed course. She hadn't anticipated Serena's willingness to engage in the fight. In hindsight, Bernie decided that this had been the primary error.

From everything Bernie had learned about the Senator, her loyalties were as fierce as her grudges. This made sense, after all, betrayal's sting was sharpest to those most loyal. Bernie considered what this meant: she held Serena's loyalties at some level. Did Serena consider them a team? For that matter, were they a team? It was clear that the nature of their evolving relationship had never relied on traditional roles. Bernie realized that she had allowed their charade of personal guard and dignitary to influence her attitudes, creating false assumptions.   

Bernie made a mental note to avoid the mistake of assuming anything about Serena Campbell ever again, and that included underestimating her aim. She knew that Serena had somehow dropped the smaller Hssiss with blaster fire, the eye being the only vulnerable spot Bernie could imagine at this point. It was a one in a million shot for anyone other than a Jedi. This feat only reinforced Bernie's hypothesis that Serena's connection to the Force was beyond her own understanding. Bernie cursed out loud at the timing of it all. She could picture the instant she struck the death blow to the first Hssiss, only to turn to see the second animal as it loomed behind Serena. Powerful jaws were stretched wide, the sheer size of its maw capable of crushing Serena where she stood. Though Bernie had reacted quickly, it wasn't enough. The jaws snapped closed with amazing speed as she propelled the Hssiss away from Serena with a Force push. She had been helpless to watch it strike Serena's shoulder with the edge of its top fang. Helpless was a feeling she despised. 

Bernie secured the cargo and sealed the loading ramp.  She had been tempted to race them back to Coruscant to access treatment, but her instincts warned her that the latent poison was far more dangerous to Serena's well being than reduced mobility in the left shoulder. Bernie felt that the Force energy of the canyon might help the situation. She committed to herself that she would give Serena a few hours on the planet's surface. If Serena didn't regain consciousness, she would get back to an Alliance hub as soon as possible. The communications response from Mr. Fletcher indicated that a team was prepped and ready for the word that they were on their way back. Bernie was relieved that he supported her decision to wait. Either way, when Serena did regain consciousness, they would have to deal with the poison immediately.  

Returning to the medical bay, Bernie dismissed the droid.  She retrieved a small sponge and a metal wash bowl filled with fresh water. Dragging a chair towards the table, Bernie sat down to start the task of cleaning the wound. The soft beeping of medical devices punctuated the silence. She traced the lines of Serena's back with her eyes and began to follow them with the sponge in her hand. With each pass, Bernie tenderly removed the layers of dried blood around the fresh bandages. Red swirls darkened the water in the wash bowl, until Bernie was satisfied that she had removed all traces of blood from Serena’s back.

She closed her eyes and connected to Serena's presence.  Placing her palm on Serena’s stable shoulder, Bernie felt the deep connection between their energies as their skin touched. She fought the urge to follow the pull of the connection, using the absence of Serena's consent as motivation to produce an immediate conscious block. Bernie focused on the seriousness of Serena's struggle to reinforce the wall of her intentions. She reached out with the Force to monitor the poison. Bernie was relatively certain that nothing had changed, but found herself compelled to confirm that Serena’s core remained untouched by the dark energy. Bernie rubbed her thumb along the edge of Serena’s shoulder blade. The warmth of Serena’s skin was as reassuring to Bernie as the constant checks on the poison’s progression. It was only then that Bernie realized just how exhausted she was. The adrenaline fueling her response to the attack and following emergency had worn off. Bernie settled into the chair to meditate as she kept watch over Serena, falling asleep almost immediately.  

*****

Bernie woke as Serena stirred a few hours later. She opened her eyes to see Serena blink slowly.  With one hand on Serena's shoulder, Bernie spoke softly, unsure of the sedative's effects and Serena's state of mind.    

"Serena, you're going to be alright. You're in the medical bay of the Eyre." 

She felt Serena's muscles tense as consciousness returned. Serena tried to move, and Bernie maintained firm pressure on her back. 

"Serena, you're safe. You have to stay still." 

Serena stilled. Bernie crouched down beside the bed to make eye contact, and saw fear flash across dark brown eyes. The Jedi placed a hand on Serena's cheek, wiping away a tear that ran across the senator's nose.

"The Hssiss?" Serena's voice cracked. 

"Gone."

There was silence as Serena took in her surroundings. Bernie saw her wince. 

"Are you in pain?" Bernie said, looking up for the medstick. 

Serena shook her head slightly, her position restricting her movement. She spoke in groggy tones, "It's alright." Her breathing was increasingly strained.  Bernie's skepticism was transparent. 

Serena reassured her, "It's alright. Really. It's just the effects of the bacta. I've never had the pleasure of feeling my muscles regenerate." 

Bernie's felt her heart ache with empathy as she saw Serena wince again. She'd had her share of injuries throughout the years, and the miraculous effects of bacta did not come without a price. The senator's sarcasm was a good sign. She placed her hand back on Serena's shoulder, and felt Serena try to roll slightly to her uninjured side. 

"What do you think you're doing?" 

 Serena made eye contact with Bernie, the fear in her eyes morphing into desperation.  

"I need to sit up, Bernie." Serena tried to move, and Bernie stopped her again. 

"Let me help you."  

Bernie placed an arm under Serena's right side.  She lifted Serena and grabbed a wide chair with the Force, pulling it across the room beside the bed. Bernie guided Serena to settle carefully into the chair, while protecting the shoulder. She knelt beside the chair and glanced up to see Serena's expression transform from one of hesitation to surprise. What remained of Serena's sheer vest hung loosely from her shoulders, threatening to fall off.  The air in the medical bay was clearly cold against Serena's skin. Bernie's eyes widened and she looked away quickly, jumping up to get a blanket from a pile on the shelf beside the bed. 

Serena began to laugh, cringing as her body shook but unable to control her mirth.  Bernie returned with a blanket and placed it across Serena's chest. She knelt beside the chair again, and found herself laughing in relief. Wiping an eye with the corner of her shirt, Bernie glanced at Serena.   

"Well, if you're feeling good enough to laugh, I hope that means your shoulder is out of the woods."   

Serena's eyes softened briefly. Her head tilted slightly. Bernie could sense that Serena had detected her concern, veil or no veil. Serena closed her eyes, her brow furrowed.  Bernie could sense Serena's use of the Force, and waited for her to conduct her own assessment. They locked eyes the moment Serena finished.  

Serena spoke first, "The poison?" 

Bernie shook her head slightly, and Serena took several deep breaths. Bernie hesitated, afraid to rattle Serena any further.

"I wasn't sure how best to handle the poison. It appears that you were able to contain the dark energy, though I have no idea how you've done it." 

Serena nodded slowly, clearly lost in her thoughts.  "It was instinct, really." 

"I didn't want to disturb it until you regained consciousness. 'Do no harm', and all," Bernie said. She flashed a weak smile, unsure of who she was trying to reassure. "There is only one person in this room who has demonstrated success removing Dark Side poison, and it isn't me."  

Panic consumed Serena's expression. It became clear to Bernie that she was missing a key piece of information. 

"Serena? Can you extract the poison?" 

"I-, I have." Serena shuddered. "The process was excruciating and delicate. The darkness got worse before it got better. Both infected Jedi fought against the poison's removal. As much as they resisted the darkness, they also held on to it. There were points when they begged me to stop, to let them keep some of the poison." 

The implications sunk in for Bernie. There was no way Serena would be able to heal herself alone.  

Serena looked up at the ceiling, her lower lip trembled as her eyes welled with tears. She batted them away from each cheek with a thumb. Bernie placed one hand on Serena's arm, and the other on her shoulder. Serena choked back a sob.

"Don't be nice to me, you'll make it worse." 

Bernie leaned forward, "We'll find a solution. I think that the possibility exists that the canyon's energy will help us in our task." 

She waited for Serena to make eye contact, making it clear with one look that as far as she was concerned, they were in it together. 


	18. Canyon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter to help ease the pain of Bernie's last night on Holby.

Bernie felt Serena stiffen as she helped the senator settle against the rock wall of the canyon ledge. As much as Serena tried to mask her pain, Bernie heard the sharp intake of breath that punctuated the slightest shifts in Serena's shoulder. 

Though the hike into the canyon had been slow going, it was clear that its Force energy intensified as they continued down steep switchbacks. Guided by instinct, they had arrived at the ledge as the last rays of sun disappeared and the sky settled into twilight. The characteristically hot breeze of the planet had died down, and Bernie could feel the air cooling in the sun's absence. 

Bernie uncapped a water flask and broke the silence, "I suppose if we had to venture into the canyon, night was the time to do it."  

She handed it to Serena, who looked up and marshaled a tight smile before drinking. 

"Small mercies," Serena said, capping the flask and setting it between her feet.  

Bernie brushed off the newest layer of dust that had accumulated on her pants, and slid down the rock wall to sit beside Serena. They hadn't been able to repair the chain for the senator's veil, and Bernie had already made habit of reaching out to check in on Serena with the Force. She had no idea what it was they were going to attempt now that they had made it into the canyon, but Serena's strength did seem to be fortified by the energy. 

She turned to look at Serena, who had her head back against the rock, eyes closed. 

*****

Serena could feel Bernie's gaze, but kept her eyes closed. She no idea how they were going to proceed, though she had already harnessed some of the canyon's energy to catalyze her physical regeneration. The Jedi's presence gently touched hers again. Serena forced down the smile she felt. She was acutely aware of Bernie's energy each time the Jedi reached out to check in on her with the Force. It had surprised her at first. Each brush was impossible to anticipate with Bernie veiled, and brought with it an odd combination of responses that included a rush of arousal and a sense of safety. She didn't have the capacity to process it, but clearly missed the feelings as soon as Bernie pulled back. The Jedi seemed sincerely concerned for her well being, though Serena also picked up on a sense of guilt. If the Jedi blamed herself for Serena's injury, she was certainly overlooking the very fact that she had also saved Serena's life. 

Serena cracked open an eye to confront Bernie's puppy-dog stare. They sat shoulder to shoulder, Bernie's body turned towards her. Serena was unwilling to risk the pain of anything more than the slight turn of her head. 

"Thoughts on how to proceed, Master Wolfe?" 

Bernie leaned back against the rock wall, shaking her head. "As much as I'd like to handle the issues separately, I fear that finishing the repair on your shoulder will ultimately disturb the poison. I'm thinking we go in, reinforce the barriers, and attempt to extract the energy, repairing as we go." 

"Leaving it nowhere to hide." Serena reached over and tapped Bernie's wrist with her index finger, and felt the Jedi's hand slide and tighten around hers. She smiled involuntarily, and shook her head slightly.

"The Veil, Bernie?" 

The Jedi pulled her hand back quickly, coughed out a laugh and mumbled an, "Of course, but..." Serena closed her eyes, straightened her head, and caught the Jedi's hand with an affectionate squeeze. Suddenly, Serena felt energy cascade up her arm and rush across her body. Bernie must have removed her veil. The contact of their fingers acted as conduit for a torrent of what Serena could only describe as consonance. The mental capacity Serena would have otherwise used to chastise herself for failing to anticipate this development was now dedicated to observing it, feeling it. She considered fighting it, working to assert control, but quickly forgot any concerns that might lessen the high. It reminded her briefly of the afternoon Sian had convinced her to inhale rankweed during their first year at university. Time stretched and lost its linearity. Unbidden thoughts consumed her as others faded into the background. 

Afraid to open her eyes or make any move that might disturb the tenuous connection of their little fingers, Serena reached out slowly with the Force to explore this new reality. Correction, these new realities. It dawned on Serena that this connection was not simply a single thread, but a tangle of woven experiences. This was beyond the inherent connections she remembered Raf describing to her when he first started studying the Force at the Academy. Glimpses of other worlds and people she had never met began to flood her mind as though they were her own memories. Had she met Bernie before? Were they meant to meet and these were times to come? Serena let go of the certainty that she knew what reality was, and focused on the woman beside her. Whatever the reality, Bernie was a constant. 

*****  
Nothing could have prepared Bernie to see the Force as Serena saw it. Her sepia world exploded into color, and suddenly, the swirls of energy that surrounded her were washed with Technicolor luster. She felt the urge to float above the scene and watch as an observer, to see her own radiance intersect with Serena's. Bernie saw bands of bright yellows dissolve into subtle green strings, washed in violet hues and braided by rich orange strands. Following the chords of light, she gave herself permission to explore the character of Serena's light. Among the splashes of red, orange, and gold, Bernie found herself drawn to thick, teal lines that surrounded a black pool.  _The poison._ This realization sobered Bernie with the memory of their task. 

Bernie turned to face Serena again and leaned forward, keeping her fingers laced with the senator's. Serena's eyes opened, and they stared at one another. With a small nod from Serena, Bernie directed her use of the Force to surround the captured darkness.  She could sense Serena's influence on the tissues beside the ball of poison. She cradled the ball with her own energy, and began to withdraw it slowly. As it moved, Serena worked with Bernie to heal the space it left. Bernie refused to hope that this initial success would continue, but it didn't buffer the disappointment she felt once the dark energy began to resist her efforts. Reaching out to use the canyon's energy, she slowly increased the pressure against the darkness to compensate. She could feel the strain on Serena's barrier, as it threatened to break. 

Bernie made a quick decision. She shifted to her knees and placed a hand on Serena's chest.

"We need to weaken the poison, separate it. Divide and conquer. Can we do that, Serena?"

Serena considered the options and nodded her consent. Bernie directed her energy to split the darkness into two pools. She saw Serena's expression darken momentarily, ignoring it to focus on helping Serena recapture the poison as quickly as they could. As soon as it was contained, Bernie reached out to test the resistance of each new pool. The darkness shifted, but she realized that the units were not yet small enough. 

"Again," she said. 

Serena nodded, more quickly this time, and Bernie split each of the smaller pools in half. Though they encased each in barriers, she could sense small seeps of darkness that were inevitable with each split. She hoped that these drops would be diluted in the river of Serena's light. Bernie quickly wrapped her energy around the first of the smaller beads of darkness. She pulled gently, but forcefully. Once more, she reached out to the energy of the canyon, letting it envelop her target. A soft moan escaped Serena's lips, as the bead was ripped out and consumed by the canyon. Bernie sensed Serena's healing energy flood the area that had been occupied by the bead, and felt a surge in Serena's energy.  

Flooded with feelings of relief, Bernie paused for a moment of shared victory. The poison could be extracted. Readjusting, Bernie followed Serena's gaze, which dropped down to the Jedi's hand, still on her chest. Serena's eyebrow arched, and she met Bernie's eyes again. Bernie recognized the pull she had felt in the medical bay, and began to remove her hand from Serena's chest. Serena's hands quickly covered hers, bringing it back into place. 

"The next one, Bernie, now." Serena said, her expression fierce. 

Bernie left her hand on Serena's chest and zeroed in on another bead of darkness. Increasingly distracted by the beauty of the colors that swirled around the contact between her hand and Serena's, Bernie brought the canyon's energy to the darkness. As the second bead left, the moan from Serena was more guttural. Bernie watched as darkness swirled in Serena's eyes, her expression now laden with desire as her energy spiked again.

Bernie felt an overwhelming urge to bring as much of herself into contact with Serena as she could. 

"Bernie."

The low tones of Serena's voice floated around her name, and Bernie felt the waves of those tones lap over her, pushing and pulling. She had to close her eyes and shake her head to anchor herself. A voice within the Jedi told her that she was in over her head. Every other part of her was ready to dive in. 

"Bernie," Serena said. Her voice was laced with the authority she reserved for Senate hearings. Bernie looked up, her eyes shifting to the soft shape of mussed brown hair that still managed to perfectly frame the elegant lines of the senator's face. Though Serena's eyes sparkled, Bernie could see fatigue as well. She could sense urgency, desire, and darkness. Bernie brought her other hand to Serena's face, tucking strands of hair behind her ear. She leaned forward to whisper, "Two more". 

"Leave them." 

Serena brought a hand from her chest to frame Bernie's face. Bernie shook her head. "We have to extract all of the poison." 

"Please?" Serena pleaded and Bernie's heart ached. Streams of emerald energy flooded the pocket within the canyon's energy they created. 

"I'm sorry, Serena." 

Bernie directed the canyon's energy to close in on the third bead, and Bernie felt new resistance within Serena against its withdrawal. 

"Serena..." 

"You feel this, Bernie, you have to be feeling this as much as I do." 

Bernie turned her head and gently kissed the inside of Serena's palm. 

"I do, Serena. I also sense the darkness." 

Bernie channeled her own energy with the canyon's to eliminate the third bead. Serena gasped. New energy flooded Serena, and Bernie was overwhelmed by the beauty of their connection. The Jedi lunged forward, their lips meeting. A wave of energy emanated from the union that rippled through the canyon. They pulled back from one another, brains addled, emotion cresting. Serena paused, her eyes scanning Bernie's face as she attempted to process any of it. Desire met with desire, and she pulled Bernie towards her, kissing furiously. Her hands ran the length of Bernie's arms, and Bernie shuddered with the contact. Bernie felt Serena's mouth open slightly, and she let her tongue plunge into its warmth. The universe was at once right. Though her body screamed for more, Bernie let the cadence of their kisses slow and savored the arousal that placed her center between her legs. Serena's tongue explored hers, and their frantic groping transitioned into soft caresses. She focused on the feel of Serena's soft skin and the energy that flowed between them with each touch. 

Time passed until three of Ambria's moons had risen across the night sky. When they pulled away from each other, Bernie could sense that the last bead of darkness was surrounded by a glowing ball of light that anchored it entirely out of their reach. It was clear that nothing more could be done, and Serena was safe, for now. Bernie rose silently, extended a hand to Serena, and lifted her to her feet. She extended her wrist to Serena, who cuffed the veil on the Jedi once more. They hiked out of the canyon in silence. The Eyre pulled away from the planet's surface as the fourth moon rose.  


	19. Finger Trap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My significant other convinced me to post these chapters tonight since the last update was so long ago. For the hardcore Berena fans, not to worry, the next Berena chapter is written, I'm just revising a few things before you see it. For now, I hope you can enjoy Dom and Ahsoka's journey.

Dom's mood improved as soon as they surfaced from the caves into the Great Jedi Library. Long rays of light cascaded through arched windows that had long been absent any glass. The branches from tall trees snaked in through each opening, creating green, leafy frames. Large insects swooped across the chamber lazily, occasionally bouncing against the ancient stone walls. Ahsoka led them through a series of reading rooms into a main hall. The library had a vacant feeling, its valuable contents evacuated by Jedi scholars thousands of years ago. 

Dom let out a low whistle as he turned slowly in a circle at the center of the hall. The scale of the library would be impossible for him to describe without sounding sensational. Dust on long abandoned shelves merely hinted at the piles of paper stacks and digital archives that would have occupied such space. Ahsoka seemed similarly impressed by the library's size. Dom caught Ahoska's gaze and she gave him a big grin. 

"Not much left, but how cool is this?" 

Dom laughed, and suddenly felt much better. The vision in the cave was just that, a simulation. In the here and now, he was neither a victim nor helpless. He raked a hand through his hair, noting that it was longer than he typically let it go. Playing with his braid, he scanned the room. Ahsoka activated the holomap, and Dom detected a small object ahead.   

"Where to?" Dom asked as he walked towards the object. He smiled at the thought of Bernie's inevitable teasing in instances such as this, when he was feeling particularly curious. Well, she called it nosy. Regardless, she often compared him to a Loth-cat, lucky to be resilient enough to endure his own curiosity. It also had something to do with his moods from time-to-time, whatever that meant. He felt a small series of vibrations as he approached the object, and found his sense of wariness return immediately.  

Ahsoka was busy consulting a small tablet against the pulsing red dot on the holomap. 

"I believe our destination is on the roof of the library?" she said. 

"You don't sound very sure," Dom called back. He looked down at the black, ocathedral holocron that sat between his feet. 

Ahsoka looked up.

"Dom, what have you found?" 

Dom shrugged, "An old holocron?" He kicked it slightly with his foot, and its components rattled. He leaned down to pick it up, and channeled a small thread of energy to activate it. A tingle ran up his spine as the hair on the back of his neck stood up.  

Ahsoka's eyes widened and she ran towards him, "Dom, wait!" 

Before Dom could react, invisible energy from a cleverly placed trap threw him up towards the ceiling and suspended him in midair. He hovered over Ahsoka, who looked up at him. 

"You have got to be kidding me." Dom rolled his eyes as he spoke. He felt more exasperation than fear. He needed a serious shift in luck, or to get the hell off this planet.  _Or both_ , he thought. 

"Are you okay?" Ahsoka's tone was laced with concern. 

"I feel fine," Dom said. He twisted, and his body spun. "Though I have no idea how to get down." 

Ahsoka paused, looking at the holocron as though it might bite. Suddenly, a blue beam emerged from its center and the holograph of an older human male took form above the device. Its bald head and sharp stare were the first noticeable attributes, but from his distance above the ground, Dom could make out a thin goatee framing the hologram's mouth. He groaned internally.  _Leave it to me to find a holocron with a soul patch._

"Welcome to the user interface for Holocron 5799, Jolee Bindo's logs, Volume 4. What would you like to access?"

Ahsoka glanced up at Dom, who was sure that the irritation was written across his face at this point.  

"This is ridiculous, unless Jolee Bindo has some way to get me down, there's nothing I need to access!" Dom closed his eyes and reached out with the Force to see if he could detect anything that might add any insight to the situation. 

Three things happened immediately. The holocron interface offered a useless reply to his statement, a burst of energy became immediately present around him, and the tingling feeling intensified. 

"Dom?" Ahsoka called out. 

Dom ignored her and focused on the energy that surrounded him. It started to constrict slowly. From the urgency in her tone, Ahsoka sensed it too.

It occurred to Dom that he was in the middle of an energetic field that was shrinking. The tingling felt increasingly like pressure against his skin, which was increasingly warm to the touch. He tried to cool the air surrounding his skin, only to feel the heat rise. Panic welled in him for a moment, but was replaced quickly by anger. He refused to be helpless. Channeling the Force against the barrier, Dom tried to push against the energy. It constricted with equal force, creating pressure against his chest that made it hard to breathe. He stopped immediately, and the pressure diminished. His instincts told him to push harder, but he rationalized that the energy seemed to be responding to his use of the Force, and there was no point in crushing himself. He calmed his breathing and settled into a meditative state to reach out to the Force, only to feel the energy continue to constrict. 

Dom opened his eyes and called down to Ahsoka, "The trap seems to push back against my use of the Force. Any ideas?"

She shook her head, "I can sense the change in the energy when you use the Force, but can't sense a pattern in its response. It would seem that the holocron was a trigger, but it has no tether to the energy. We could destroy it, but it may hold the key to deactivating the field." 

Dom felt Ahsoka reach out with the Force to assess the holocron, and watched in disbelief as she was launched into the air. He couldn't decide if their predicament was hilarious or infuriating.

They looked at the blue holographic interface, and the image of the old man flickered back. 

"Who was Jedi Bindo?" Dom demanded. 

The interface spoke, it's audio crackling. "There is no record of Jedi Bindo. Jolee Bindo left the Order prior to knighthood." 

Ahsoka frowned, and spoke up, "Did Jolee Bindo create this holocron?" 

"Yes," the interface replied. 

"So he was a Force user?" she continued.  

"Yes." 

"Did Jolee Bindo serve the light or the dark?" Dom asked. 

"Neither."

Dom glanced at Ahsoka who seemed more intrigued than alarmed. Frustrated, he yelled down to the interface, "If Jolee Bindo were trapped in a force field, how would he get out?" 

"There is no record of a force field in the fourth volume of Jolee Bindo's logs," said the interface. 

"This is getting us nowhere."  

"Agreed," Ahsoka said.  

Dom felt the pressure begin to build against his chest, and noticed that Ahsoka's breathing was also becoming shallow. His training with the Order would have suggested he meditate on it, but Jolee Bindo apparently didn't care for the Order and meditation hadn't stopped the trap yet. Dom let his head fall back into empty space, took a deep breath and let it out with an exasperated growl.

"All those campaigns during the Clone Wars, days without food or water in the Outer Rim, unlikely survival of Order 66, only to be trapped for no reason. Did you ever imagine that this was how you'd go out?" Dom said.  

Ahsoka's eyes widened, "Don't give up, Dom. Everything has a weakness, we just need to figure it out." 

Ahsoka's reassurances felt hollow. It was absurd to think that he would die here in an empty library, crushed in midair. But that was life, wasn't it? Far stronger Jedi had been killed by far less. It could be an ancient trap or blaster fire to the back from troops you thought you were leading. So much for the power of the Force. Dom kicked the air and spun around, wheezing as the breath was knocked out of him. Tears welled in his eyes at the thought of how senseless the deaths of his friends had been. Somehow it brought an odd sense of comfort to know that his death would be as meaningless. Well, if this is how I go out, so be it. A sense of relief washed over him and he let go of the Force. 

The pressure reduced, and his body dropped. He reached out with the Force to catch himself and the pressure returned.   

"What happened?" Ahsoka asked. 

Dom let go of the Force again and felt the energy waver.

"The Force is feeding the trap!" He saw Ahsoka nod and immediately fall a few feet, but they both remained suspended.

It dawned on him that while he had already grown accustomed to the hum of the kyber crystal, its presence was a conduit for the Force. He unbuckled his belt and let it fall to the floor. Ahsoka understood, and immediately did the same, her lightsaber hilts clattering against the stone. He unslung the pouch holding his lightsaber and let it fall to the ground. With that, the energy around them dissolved. Dom and Ahsoka landed in a pile on the floor next to the holocron. Untangling himself from Ahsoka, Dom looked into the face of the hologram and took a swipe as if to slap it.

"Jolee Bindo was an old crank," he muttered. 

"Correct," the interface replied, "Jolee Bindo often described himself as a 'crazy old man'." 

Dom rolled over onto his back, looked up at the vaulted ceiling, and laughed. He heard Ahsoka laugh beside him, which caused him to laugh harder. This fed her laughter until they were a useless pile of giggles. When the echos of their fit subsided, Ahsoka's face appeared above him. He sat up and took the arm she offered to pull him to his feet.  

"Never a dull moment with you," she teased as she wrapped her belt around her waist and buckled it. "Can we go now?"  

Dom plucked the holocron from the floor and deactivated it.  He handed it to Ahoska and grabbed his things. 

"Seems like we might have something to learn from the old crank." 

She smiled and placed the holocron in a pouch. At that moment, the floor began to rumble. They spun to observe an opening appear at the center of the hall, swirling down into a series of stone steps. Ahsoka's head tilted. 

"The wise thing for us to do would be to complete our objective," Ahsoka said though her tone was far from convincing. 

"But where's the reward in that?" Dom winked and pulled his crystal from its pouch on his belt and held it up for Ahsoka to see. "I found this in the cave earlier. It sang to me."

Ahoska's eyes widened as the crystal's blue hue glinted in the light to reveal its silver overtones. "Dom, that's pontite."

He nodded. "Makes you wonder what might be at the base of those steps." 

She grinned. "We have a short window of time to find out. Any sign of trouble, we're done. Got it?" 

Dom nodded. Before he could say anything, she was halfway to the stairs. He took off after her. 

*****  
Standing at the base of the staircase, Dom saw a small pedestal in a pool of white light at the far end of a small room with a dirt floor. A lightsaber hilt sat on top of a square holocron. Dom shivered at the similarities between this moment, the trap, and his trial.  

"Do you sense anything?" Dom asked. 

Ahsoka shook her head, "Nothing. You?"

Dom shook his head.

"Do we risk retrieving the holocron and the lightsaber?" Ahsoka asked. 

"After everything, it seems just as ridiculous to leave it as it does to take it." 

Ahsoka nodded her agreement. "Let me take the risk this time, okay?" 

Dom smiled, and stepped to one side, "Be my guest. I'll just wait right here." 

He watched Ahsoka approach the pedestal tentatively, take a deep breath, and grab the lightsaber hilt. 

 _Wait for it_ , he thought. Nothing happened. Ahsoka looked back at Dom over her shoulder, shrugged, and grabbed the holocron. Dom realized that he was holding his breath, and that he was unwilling to let it go. 

Walking back across the small chamber, Ahsoka tucked the holocron away for safe keeping and handed the lightsaber to Dom. It's platinum hilt was smooth and rounded, with minor bevels along the edge of the base. Dom tried to activate it, with no luck. 

"Something to work on later," Ahsoka suggested, as she walked back to the staircase. Dom tucked the lightsaber beside his and adjusted the leather strap across his chest to shift its new weight. 

"We're not even going to activate the holocron?" Dom was surprised by how petulant his own voice sounded. 

Ahsoka laughed, "Definitely not the holocron!" She bounded up the staircase and out of sight. 

*****  
Dom could sense six Force signatures as soon as they returned to the main hall. He caught up to Ahsoka, and they walked towards the massive, wooden doors that dominated the library's main entrance. Whoever approached them had chosen to wait outside. 

"Why haven't they come in?" Dom whispered. 

Ahsoka shrugged, "Maybe they don't like being thrown around by old Jedi traps." 

 _Ha ha_ Dom mouthed as he gave Ahsoka an irritated look. 

"Do you think they know that we're in here?" Dom wondered aloud. 

"No way to tell. Perhaps we should find another way to the roof." 

Dom turned on his heel towards the main staircases in an effort to avoid chasing after Ahsoka again. They ran up flights of stairs, and it soon became clear that the beings were very aware of their presence. At first, he sensed them depart only to return from a new direction. Ahsoka consulted the holomap, and they realized that their paths would intercept on the roof. 

"Fantastic," Dom said as they ascended the last flight of stairs into a series of meeting rooms. Miraculously, several thick stone tables still stood. They walked towards a large window and surveyed the network of rooftops.

"What exactly am I looking for?" Dom asked.

Ahsoka pulled a pair of macrobinoculars off her belt and started scanning. "At the moment, we're trying to figure out just who is following us. Our objective is the ship." 

"What ship?" 

"A cloaked ship." 

Dom rolled his eyes.  _Of course._  

Ahsoka pointed west, "The ship is located on that rooftop." 

Dom followed her line of sight to observe empty space. "Either the cloak is working, or we're out of luck." 

Ahsoka laughed. "The cloak is working." Her laughter cut off. "There." She pointed in the opposite direction. A squad of five dark figures scaled the walls of the adjacent towers, using the craggy stones of the walls for hand- and footholds. Dom was impressed by the speed at which they scaled the walls. Ahsoka handed him the macrobinoculars. Dom zoomed into the lead figure, and his breath caught in his throat. The otherwise stunning physique of muscular arms and legs were overshadowed by the Sith mask that had been adorned with, were those, feathers? He scanned down the line to see four other Sith, their faces masked, cloaks flapping behind them as they climbed. 

"We need to move quickly," Ahsoka said.  

"You don't have to say that twice."  Dom returned the macrobinoculars and followed Ahsoka out the window, dropping to the rooftop below it. They sprinted, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Dom heard cries in the direction of the Sith, and the sound of shots fired. A bullet whizzed by his left ear. He dropped into a roll, and yanked out his lightsaber. It's blue plasma sliced through the metal of several slugs as he parried. 

"Bullets?!?" 

Ahsoka spun around and raised a hand. Dom sensed her use of the Force to slow several bullets, forcing them to drop from midair. Though his experience with Sith were limited, Dom had never observed a Sith use a gun. The thought of Force-directed bullets was chilling. 

"Just a bit further," Ahsoka encouraged.

"I think they could do with a bit of distraction," Dom said. He focused on each of the Sith masks in the distance, warping them with the Force. Blinded, the Sith stopped immediately and dropped their weapons, each wrestling to reposition their crushed masks. Dom reflected for a moment, That was too easy. 

Ashoka grinned, "Let's go." 

They ran together towards the ship, and Dom noticed a tablet in Ahsoka's hand. She tapped on it furiously, and the ship materialized. It was a ship Dom knew well. 

In that instant, a bullet grazed Ahsoka's shoulder, and she stumbled, skinning her knees on the rooftop's surface. The tablet scattered away from her, and the ship disappeared again. Dom dashed to her, parrying the new array of bullets that came their way. The Sith had recovered, and were closing the distance at an alarming rate. 

Dom had been working to harness a Force-wave for some time, one of the abilities he had watched Bernie masterfully demonstrate for years. He launched himself into the air, and came down onto the rooftop, fist-first into the ground on one knee. The power of the Force cascaded through the air in a powerful wave. All five Sith were knocked from their feet. Dom turned to Ahsoka to give her a hand up, but she was already on her feet. He grabbed the tablet with telekinesis and handed it to her.  

"Why are they so easy to stun?" Dom asked. 

"Later," she intoned, tapping in commands to lower the loading ramp. 

As they raced towards the loading ramp, Dom paused. These were not Sith. He reached out with the Force to explore the character of their energies. Yes, they were Force-sensitive individuals, but there was no overwhelming sense of darkness. They had no obvious ability to defend themselves. 

Nevertheless, they were resilient and they were fast. The leader launched herself across the distance towards the ship. Dom was certain that Ahsoka would make it to the loading ramp, but his success was less certain. He squared himself, brought his lightsaber to center, and waited for his attacker to make her move. 

Dom felt the telekinetic pull on his lightsaber and resisted, waiting for the Sith to bring her own weapon to bear. As the masked figure raced towards him, he realized that she had no lightsaber, but was armed with a sharp-pointed spear. As she brought it down, he parried, pushing her away. He heard the Kite's engines engage, and knew Ahsoka was initializing the launch sequence. 

Using the Force to throw his attacker back, Dom became aware of the other four signatures. A nagging thought occurred to him. I thought there were six. 

As if on cue, a massive beast appeared in the alley far below. Its harness and halter evidence that it was a mount for these 'Sith'. Dom spun to parry another volley of bullets, working his way back to the loading ramp, resisting the impulse to look down. The winds created by the engines were powerful, their whine almost deafening. As he raised the loading ramp, he watched their attackers form a crescent around the Kite as Ahsoka pulled the ship from the library's rooftop. 

*****

In the relative safety of deep space, Dom dropped into the co-pilot's seat and sighed. The seat's leather was molded to his frame, a product of habit. 

"You could have told me we were on our way to the Kite," he shared with Ahsoka as the stars streamed by. A small shrug was all he got out of her. 

The Red Kite had been a part of Dom's home for years. Bernie had acquired it after saving a smuggler's daughter, though Dom wouldn't have believed the story if he hadn't been there personally to witness it. He had just been assigned Bernie's padawan at the time, and Bernie had decided to help a Corellian smuggler who had gotten in over his head with the Hutts. He still wasn't exactly sure how Bernie had maneuvered the negotiations. He had a distinct memory of his own shock being reflected in the face of the young woman when the Hutts released her voluntarily. When they returned her to Corellia, her father offered his Master any ship in his fleet. 

Dom had truly expected Bernie to graciously bow out of the deal or pick a lesser ship, but she had not. She explained later that as a Corellian, Jedi or no, it would have been a dishonor to the man to select any ship other than one of the best.

So, the ship had become theirs to command. A YT-2400, light-freighter, the Kite was visually distinguished by its reinforced, disc-shaped hull as it arced into an asymmetrically mounted command pod. The model was known for its customization value; Dom and Bernie had discussed endless possible combinations to balance agility, aggression, and defense. Bernie had prioritized speed and maneuverability, but Dom knew that the Kite could sting with its laser turrets, if necessary. He had spent countless hours modifying the power relay, while Bernie rebuilt the hyperspace drive. The cloaking feature was brand new, however. Apparently, it was not the only modification. He watched a series of advanced hyperspace calculations stream across the navigation console. 

"Well, if these are correct, our next objective is just ten hours away."

Ashoka nodded and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Would you like to sleep first, or should I?" 

Dom yawned, but nodded to Ahoska, "You sleep, I'll wake you in a few hours."  

Ahsoka paused at the cockpit's entrance, "I keep wondering what could have triggered the trap though?"

Dom shrugged, "It tossed me the moment I used the Force. Same for you. Perhaps it was sensitive to lure unsuspecting Jedi?"

"Perhaps," Ahsoka said as she yawned. Dom watched her pad down the hallway to the guest quarters. He swiveled his chair back and settled in for the trip. Dom felt a sense of security in this cockpit. An accumulation of confidence that came with countless memories of slipping one tight spot or another. 

As they raced across the galaxy, the idea of rescuing a fellow Jedi from an unknown world became tenable.


	20. Drop Locker

Dom woke from his nap, groggy, but better for it. He rolled over and grabbed the crystals he had placed on the shelf in his rack. The pontite felt pleasantly warm to his touch, and Dom could scarcely believe his luck. Pontite was incredibly rare. It was also powerful. This combination made it one of the most valuable Adegan crystals available.

The pontite hummed as soon as it came into contact with his skin as if it were a cat purring in contentment. It's bluish silver lattice seemed to brighten the space around it, whereas the crystal Isaac gave him was an opaque, smoky hue. In contrast to the pontite, Isaac's gift was cold and silent. From everything Dom had read about kyber crystals, he thought he should be able to sense something from it. Unwilling to be burned again, Dom set the smoky crystal back onto the shelf while he turned the pontite over slowly in his hand.

Dom sat up on his bed and let his legs dangle over its edge. Closing his eyes and settling into a meditative state, Dom soon found that the crystal hummed in sync with his pulse. He felt the presence of a powerful, white light surrounding him and an overwhelming sense of calm. Webs of Force energy became apparent to him in new ways. Nodes and filaments of life energy shimmered, varying in size and intensity. He could sense his own signature, as well as the Force within the crystal, and the exchange between their light. He followed the draw of energy to Ahsoka in the cockpit, her signature like a lighthouse across the ocean of deep space. He could also sense the crystals in her lightsabers for the first time. 

Dom let his mind wander for a moment to reflect on the ingenuity of the Alderaanian Senator and the Veils she had designed to cloak Force signatures. He was certain that this technology was pivotal for their success, both short- and long-term. Veils must be what was in the next drop they were on their way to retrieve. He wasn't thrilled about not knowing where they were headed, but understood the precautions Hanssen was taking.

Tugged back by the pontite in his hand, Dom followed its nudge to direct his attention to the crystal from Isaac. He shifted his focus to the smoky crystal and waited. He sensed nothing. Returning his attention to the pontite, he felt the nudge a second time. Rolling his closed eyes, he tilted his head and took a deep breath. Dom focused his energy on the smoky crystal, but saw nothing. He felt the pontite begin to vibrate with increasing frequency and intensity in his palm. Suddenly, Dom became aware of sharp, intense vibrations emanating from the smoky crystal, though it had seemed inert just moments before. In addition to the short waves, he began to sense deeper, longer, subtler waves being broadcast from the crystal.  

Before Dom could explore the hidden energy any further, the door to his quarters chimed. Dom's eyes snapped open, and he glanced from the the door to the crystal. Magenta veins were now visible, the contrast accentuated with each pulse.

"You up, Dom?" he heard Ahsoka ask from the other side of the door. Dom grabbed the crystal like a hot potato and tossed it into a small drawer on the rack. 

"Yes, I'm up," Dom replied. "Come in." 

Ahsoka walked in and gave him an appraising look before scanning the room. It was clear that she sensed something. Her gaze settled on the pontite that he still held. Dom felt anxiety well up in his chest. Had she detected the waves of energy that had poured out of Isaac's crystal? He wondered if he should talk to her about his discovery, but he had no idea what it was he had discovered. Well, what his crystal had discovered.

"Working with your new crystal?" she asked. 

Dom nodded and smiled. "I think it likes me." 

Ahsoka cracked a wary smile. "We'll be arriving at the drop location shortly. I'll need your help retrieving the space locker." 

Dom stood and nodded, pocketing the pontite. “Any idea what’s in the box?”  
Ahsoka smiled, “My understanding is that it contains tech you will be teaching me how to use.”

Dom’s surprise was written all over his face. “I have only seen the Veils, I have no idea how they work.”

“So, you do know. You’ll have plenty of time to figure them out, we received an updated set of coordinates when we came within range of the drop locker. Our destination is in the Khar Delba System.”

Dom visibly blanched, “But, that’s Sith Space.”

“Yes, it is. Guess that’s why they made sure the ship has a cloak and we have Veils.” Ahsoka replied with a wink.

“It also explains why Mo can’t get out on her own,” Dom added.

Ahsoka nodded, “That she has survived on Gath Mar this long is incredible. Leaving the planet must have proved impossible. If Mo couldn’t get off the planet on her own, it can’t be done.”

Dom smiled, “You’ve met her." 

Mo Effanga was an incredibly gifted Jedi, known for her charisma and sharp wit. He wasn’t sure there was anyone that met Mo who didn’t instantly like her, even the surliest Jedi had surprised him with praise for her contributions. She had honed her Force abilities to include a wide array of coercion techniques that blended her personality and talents in ways that could sway the strongest minds. Thinking himself clever, Dom had once asked a snarky question with his mind to see if she was telepathic. He remembered feeling his smug expression disappear, as she replied, "In your dreams, Mr. Copeland." Had his jaw dropped? He could remember his mouth was slightly ajar as she patted his shoulder and walked away with a wink and a smile.

On reflection, it made sense that she would have been deployed in Sith territory. Dom had always suspected that she had been involved in espionage, though the Order would never admit that they used the Force for political deception. As he followed Ahsoka out of his quarters, he balanced his concern for Mo with the knowledge that he would get to see her again soon. _Hold on Mo_ , he thought, _We’re coming._

*****

Dom heard the pressure stabilize as the decontamination procedure finished in the airlock. The doors opened to reveal their prize: an encrypted drop locker.  Hauling it into the cargo hold, Dom looked down to see the glowing timer of a self-destruction sequence that had been activated, presumably the moment they grabbed the locker. He walked to the nearest wall, and hit the com button.

“They didn’t happen to give you a deactivation code, by chance?” Dom kept an eye on the countdown clock.

“ _Sorry!_ ” Ahsoka’s voice crackled over the speaker. He pictured her flipping through files on her tablet. Static hissed across the com again, " _Password is ‘Griselda’._ ”

Dom rolled his eyes and keyed in the code. A series of satisfying beeps were followed by the sounds of interlocking mechanisms rolling within the crate. As the lid popped open, Dom pulled the pressure-stabilized inner chamber from the locker. Resisting the impulse to open it then and there, he hauled the metal chamber through the hold to the mess station where Ahsoka waited.

“Nice grab,” she said. He flushed at the praise, placing the heavy case on the small circular table where he and Bernie had shared so many meals together. Well, they ate there when it wasn't covered in mechanical parts. Bernie's work spaces were never very tidy. 

Dom walked to the kitchen, “I’m going to put the kettle on, do you want tea?”

Ahsoka nodded without looking up, her attention wholly on opening the case. She consulted her tablet, placing her fingers at a series of points on the edges of the metal surface. Dom heard another wave of mechanical locks resetting and caught a glint in his periphery. The metal surface caught the light as Ahsoka opened the case.

He grabbed a few mugs as the kettle started to whistle, scooping a few spoonfuls of dried herbs into the small filter he had fashioned for the handmade teapot Bernie somehow managed to repair after every inevitable tumble. It remained a mystery to him why she chose to repair the pot and not the cabinet that opened every time they pulled a sharp turn with the Kite. He wondered if he should fix the cabinet while he poured hot water over the dried herbs. 

“Do you take milk?” Dom asked as he added milk and sugar packets to his own mug. He looked up, raised an eyebrow towards Ahsoka, and realized he would get no response. She was completely absorbed with the new toys. It was like getting the attention of a child on their nameday while surrounded by presents and cake. Dom’s stomach rumbled. He added milk and sugar to her mug and rifled through cabinets in vain to find any of the packaged biscuits he smuggled during the trip to Corellia months ago. Grabbing the mugs in one hand, he carried the teapot to the table and gently nudged the case to one side with the Force. Ahsoka looked up in surprise and moved it the rest of the way to make room for the tea.  

“Really, Dom, I’ve seen you use the Force as if it were magic,” Ahsoka playfully scolded him. It was nothing he hadn’t heard before. Most of the Order seemed to revere use of the Force as though every lifted stone were a spiritual act. He had been grateful to discover early in his training as her Padawan that Bernie was far more pragmatic than mystic. Certainly, there were deep elements of the Force for which he held a degree of reverence, and always respect. But, if he had powers of telekinesis, why wouldn’t he use them as frequently as his own two hands? He hadn’t taken Ahsoka to be particularly strict with Force use, and his lips pursed in irritation as he filled each mug from the pot and pushed one her way.

Ahsoka took a sip of the tea and slipped a small scroll to him. Dom unrolled the paper, noticing Bernie’s handwriting immediately.

_Young Dove,  
I hope that you are well and thriving as you fulfill the current objective. I asked specifically for you to be paired with the Fulcrum, and I fully expect you to continue your training while together. You both have much to learn from one another. My duties keep me here for the moment, but I sense that we are both on the right paths. The enclosed technology should make your tasks a bit easier, though I caution you to recognize its limitations. The band you observed in the caves was engineered to be calibrated using precise means. These have not. They were designed to prioritize versatility over effectiveness. Do not overestimate their power and use caution. My understanding is that you can improve their effectiveness by meditating on each set of crystal shards to attune them to your unique signature somewhat. You and the Fulcrum will have the luxury of time to ‘calibrate’ the crystals in this manner. Our good friend will not have the same luxury, but hopefully simply wearing the band will be enough to get them out. Once yours is attuned to your energy, put it on and do not take it off. When we’re together again, I will have an updated version for you. We had the resources to produce five bands, and I’m providing them as a sort of insurance to avoid compromising the mission should any of them go the way of your first. Take good care of the Kite, and enjoy the goodies. May the Force be with you. -B _

Dom looked up, blinked a few times and cleared his throat. “Bernie says there are goodies in that thing?”

Ahsoka pulled a tray out of the case, on it were five clear containers, each housing a Veil. Ahsoka set it on the bench beside her and began rummaging through compartment that had been hiding under it. She tossed Dom a packet of gourmet biscuits from Coruscant with a wide grin before tearing open her own.

“Looks like your Master is keeping good company,” Ahsoka said.

Dom smirked at the thought of Bernie navigating the norms of the capital. Whatever she had to endure to keep the pipeline of lemon cremes coming was fine by him. “I guess it pays to guard a Senator, but if I know Bernie, she will be itching to get out of the city sooner than later. I’ve never seen her stay in one place for very long.”

“Why’s that?”

Dom had noticed that Ahsoka seemed curious about Bernie in their conversations. He avoided saying too much because he didn’t want to risk veering onto the topic of mentors. Well, that, and the fact that he had been working to let go of his natural tendency for gossip since it had landed him with Bernie. In retrospect, for as much trouble as his wagging tongue had gotten him, it had also given him the best experiences of his life. He might not even be alive had he stayed in the AgriCorps.

Regardless, discussing masters with Ahsokat Tano seemed like walking through a minefield. Although she seemed approachable enough, Dom had learned enough to know that Ahsoka had left the Order prior to the fall of her mentor, which made it hard to know where they’d left their relationship. He couldn’t imagine Bernie falling to the Dark Side under any circumstances, but who could have imagined a Jedi such as Anakin Skywalker to be capable of massacring younglings?

“Dom?” Ahsoka prompted him. Blinking quickly, Dom pulled himself from his thoughts and came up with a hasty reply.

“I suppose it’s how she copes, really.” He surprised himself with his answer, only to surprise himself further by continuing. “I mean, ever since we were paired, we’ve always been on the move. Even before 66. Bernie has this vast network of friends and colleagues across the Outer Rim, but no place she calls home. Well, other than the Kite, I suppose. She says that she values detachment, that as Jedi we’re to avoid entanglements that lead to feelings of possession or jealousy. I’ve gathered that she believes that intimacy leads to expectation, and that expectation leads to disappointment. Paths to the Dark Side and all that, you know.”

“And you disagree with her?”

Dom shrugged and nibbled at his biscuit, “I see where she’s coming from, but it feels like she’s closing off part of herself instead of embracing it.”

He felt Ahsoka’s gaze and met her eyes. She appeared to be taking him in with new perspective. Dom decided that he had said enough, feeling compelled to run through the minefield instead of saying any more. 

“What do you think? Should we run away from emotional attachments or embrace them?”

Ahsoka drained her mug, and leveled her gaze at him. “Your history of gossip precedes you, Dom. How do I know that whatever we say won’t be circulated immediately, that you’re not simply after a juicy morsel?”

 “Because who am I going to tell these days?” Dom’s voice felt raw, her statement stung a bit, but not as much as the sense of isolation that washed over him.

“Besides,” he continued, “I don’t care about the details of your old master’s fall. I know how badly it ends. Everyone does. I want to know what you think about attachment as it pertains to you.”

He handed her Bernie’s note, pointing to her codename. “Bernie thinks we have a lot to learn from one another, and I trust her judgment. So, whenever you’re ready to talk about it, I’m here.”

Dom paused, giving Ahsoka time to read the note. He stood, collected their mugs and the teapot, and carried them to the sink. He heard Ahsoka’s voice over his shoulder.

“She sent chocolate too, care of the Senator. I get emotionally attached, and I like chocolate. How’s that for a start?”

Dom turned and smiled. They had twenty-five hours to their next destination, he figured that was just enough time to get started.


	21. Mo

Two hours into Sith Space and Dom could feel tension building in his stomach. He fiddled with the square holocron they had picked up on Ossus, tossing it between his hands. None of his attempts to activate it had proved successful. Perhaps it was dead. He reminded himself that the rest of their tech was working exactly as they hoped it would. The Kite remained undetected, the cloak held and the hours spent tuning their Force Veils appeared to be paying off. Khar Delba was on the outskirts of the Esstran Sector, but they'd already had to squeeze the Kite past three Imperial ships, the last being a fully-armed cruiser. The dark presence of a powerful Force-sensitive individual had radiated from it. 

He could no longer sense Ahsoka’s signature or her lightsabers, and she confirmed that his presence was completely absent to her. His crystal had helped him tune both bands, and he had spent time with the remaining three veils to practice the process. He hoped there would be time for him to tune one of them to Mo when they found her.

He reached out to his crystal. It would occasionally sing to him, and he found himself tapping into its energy as though he were absentmindedly rubbing the chin of a housecat that had settled into his lap. The time spent meditating with it had brought increasing clarity to his thoughts. Conversations with Ahsoka had helped too. He had decided to disclose bits and pieces of his encounters with Isaac. It was clear that she knew there was more to it than what he chose to share, but he appreciated her willingness to listen without judgment. Though he had to ignore the social anxiety that told him he had said too much, it felt good to confide in someone again. It appeared that the feeling was mutual. As awful as his experience of Order 66 had been, he realized that he had been spared the horror of witnessing a friend and mentor fall to the Dark Side. His friends had died, but they had died with dignity. 

Ahsoka had informed him that an increasing number of surviving Jedi had chosen to work with Darth Vader as Inquisitors. The role of Inquisitor was entirely self-serving; they protected their own lives by using their connection with the Force to root out remaining Jedi and deliver them to the Empire. As much as he sympathized with the desperation that fed such acts, he couldn’t understand how anyone could justify such a decision. What Jedi could live with the knowledge that they were simply a glorified bounty hunter for the Dark Side? And how delusional must you be to trust the Empire? Though Ahsoka reassured him that she had successfully fled several Inquisitors in the past year, it was impossible not to think about possible detection by an Inquisitor-led squad this deep into Sith Space.

Sitting up in the pilot’s chair, Dom glanced at the sensor array. Their destination registered on the sensors for the first time. Within a few minutes, they were in range for visualization. Dom called Ahsoka to come to the cockpit, tossing the holocron on the console as he pulled the planetary data up on the holo-generator. Deep greens from dense jungles were the first visual indication of the landscape. Two massive continents were joined by a narrow land bridge, and several sizable islands dotted murky red seas. On the larger continent, Dom read the topographic lines, impressed by several jagged peaks that cut through the lower atmosphere with rocky edges. Atmospheric ratios indicated that they would be able to breathe without masks, but the sulfur content in the air meant that they could look forward to the smell of rotten eggs.

Ahsoka joined him in the cockpit, keying in a few commands to log their position and begin landing calculations. If the trees were as dense as they appeared, finding a suitable spot would be challenging.

“Gath Mar,” Ahsoka spat. “Who gives a planet such an awful name?”

“Sith?” Dom shrugged and grinned.

Ahsoka laughed and gestured towards the holocron, "No luck yet?"

Dom shook his head and shot a disgusted look in the holocron's direction.

Ahoska smirked as she scrolled through instructions on her tablet. “The rendezvous location appears to be on the smaller continent, just south of the active range of volcanoes." 

“That should give us good visual cover. Any idea what the ash will do to our systems?” Dom asked.

“No idea," Ahsoka said.

“Great. You’re no help, you know that, right?”

Ahsoka laughed, she appeared to be getting used to Dom’s sarcasm, “Only as much as you, dear Padawan.”

“It looks like there is a very small opening in the canopy tucked in the second mountain’s shadow.” Dom pointed towards the map as he spoke, keying the large holomap to spin sixty degrees east.

“Here.” Dom created an uplink to Ahsoka’s tablet and overlaid the rendezvous point with the proposed landing area. The soft red dots glowed within a mile of the other.

“Nice match, I'll start the calculations," Ahsoka said. She downloaded the map to her handheld device, and double-checked the coordinates.

“The terrain is going to triple the time it takes us to get to the rendezvous point.”

Ahsoka seemed to agree with Dom’s observation.

“We’ll have to move quickly to make the scheduled time,” she confirmed. 

“I think basic provisions are worth the extra weight. We have no idea when Mo last had access to food or water.”

“Good thinking. You pack the food and the tech, I’ll initiate the landing once we’re in range.”  
Dom nodded and left the cockpit, the knot in his stomach intensified as he pictured himself climbing over gnarled roots and dodging massive insects.  

_I’ve got a bad feeling about this._

*****  
The planet's stench couldn't have been anticipated. Dom gagged from the pungent smell carried on the humid air that somehow combined the ripest elements of damp socks, organic decay, and week-old egg salad. 

Ahsoka turned to him, "Maybe we should rethink the respirators." 

"Don't tempt me," Dom said. 

Dom descended the ramp and adjusted his pack. His lightsaber swung at his hip; there was no need to hide it. Veil or no, if they encountered anyone other than their intended contact on this planet, their cover was blown. 

Dom's tunic was damp within minutes. He adjusted the environment and shot a glance at Ahsoka, "Sense anything?" 

She shook her head, "No change in your presence, Veils seem to be working. This atmosphere is like soup." 

"I thought Shili was hot?" Dom countered. 

"Hot and dry, there's a difference." 

"So, less soup, more oven?" 

Ahsoka laughed, "That's about right. But there's always a breeze across the grasslands, no matter how hot it gets." 

Dom had never been to the Togruta homeworld Shili, but he would have traded Gath Mar for just about any other planet. Once again, Dom's thoughts were cut short to chase after Ahsoka, who had already bounded off towards their destination. 

*****

They arrived at the rendezvous with minutes to spare, and decided to position themselves in the trees above the crumbling stone cottage to see who would appear. The occasional croak of tree frogs and buzz from insect wings punctuated odd silence for a jungle. Time passed and Dom's legs began to cramp. Before he could complain, he sensed a powerful Force signature within close proximity. How had Mo gotten this close without detection? Wait, not just a single Force signature, but several.

Dom glanced at Ahsoka, eyebrows raised. Her expression indicated that she sensed it too. She gestured to the small ruins below, and Dom looked down to see several people emerge from the trees. They reminded Dom of the 'Sith' they had encountered on Ossus. Each individual was clearly strong, their bodies a blend of lithe muscles and wide curves. A few individuals had beautifully round bellies and faces, while others had sharper, chiseled features. Their clothing appeared to be masterfully woven, each individual had a unique style of textured fabrics from what appeared to be the product of soft plant fibers. Several had ornamented their attire with small feathers or beads made from carved bones. Dom noticed that several had Sith masks hanging from their necks, leading him to wonder if this was a tool of intimidation. Trophies, possibly? The encounter on Ossus made more sense. 

When Mo arrived, Dom felt a wave of joy wash over him. She was accompanied by a tall man, his muscular shoulders a solid head above Mo's short frame. His hair and skin were as dark as hers, though his commanding presence was physical only, he was not Force-sensitive. So, where were these additional Force signatures coming from? 

Mo's voice pierced the silence, "About time you lot got here." 

Dom grinned and followed Ahsoka as they dropped out of the trees before the small group. 

Several of the people with Mo crouched defensively in surprise, all manner of weapons raised. Dom glanced warily at the vibro-axes and blaster rifles, but gave his full attention to the bo-rifles. How had they acquired those? 

Mo raised her hands, "We are all friends." At her word, every weapon dropped. 

Dom glanced at Ahsoka, who smiled and walked towards Mo, grasping her fellow Jedi's arm in greeting. "Friends indeed."

Dom snickered, "Imagine that, Mo Effanga found friends." Mo dropped Ahsoka's arm and walked to Dom, grabbing his arm and pulling him in for a hug. 

"Ah, Dom, it's been donkey's years, eh? Still dreaming, I hope?" 

Dom's face lit up and he threw Mo a coy smile, "You know me." 

"And that mentor of yours, she still around?" 

"On Coruscant, playing body guard at the moment," Dom replied. He wore a grin he found impossible to stifle.

Mo clapped him on the shoulder, stepped back and gestured to the massive man beside her, "Allow me to introduce Felh Nouh, guide of the Maran, the true people of Mar Mona though the Sith dishonor it as Gath Mar." 

The deep voice of Felh Nouh carried across the small circle, "The matriarchs send their blessings." 

"Without the help of Felh Nouh and the Maran, I fear that this reunion would not have been possible," Mo said. 

Dom dipped his head in greeting and Ahsoka bowed slightly, "Thank you and the matriarchs for aiding our friend," she said. 

Dom glanced to the right of Felh, where a young man and woman stepped out from behind the ranks of Marani. They carried themselves with confidence, intelligence radiating from their brown eyes. In their presence, it was clear that they were source of the remaining Force-signatures Dom had sensed. 

"Nym and Sahn will be joining us," Mo said. "Their connection to the Force has made their survival on this planet incredibly difficult. At the request of the matriarchs, I agreed to take them off the planet with me when the time came."

Dom suppressed his surprise and waited for Ahsoka's reaction, but her expression was placid. She turned to the two young Marani, "I will look forward to getting to know you once we have made it to safety." 

Mo nodded, "Agreed, we have been masking our signatures all day and are weak. How far is the ship?" 

Dom piped up, "The Kite is a mile from our location." 

Felh stepped forward, "Let us not waste any time." The small group circled Mo, Nym, and Sahn. Dom felt the Force move in a way that was new to him. He felt refreshed and alert, though he imagined that it was merely a contact high to what those in the center experienced. How had the Marani accessed the Force? He had questions for Mo, that was certain. 

"Wait," he said. Dropping the pack, he rummaged through it and procured the three remaining Veils, flasks of water, and protein sticks. He distributed the rations quickly. The Marani drank eagerly and practically inhaled the food. Dom basked in the warm smiles he received in gratitude. Cracking open the first Veil container, Dom gestured to Mo, who extended her arm. While he appreciated the quality of the ornate guantlets she wore, they posed a minor problem.  

"Is that songsteel?" he asked. 

"You bet," she grinned, "Won them off a Mandalorian smuggler. I told him they would look better on me. He agreed." Dom smiled as he adjusted the Veil's band to fit her wrist under the gauntlet. 

"This may affect the sensors. Spend a few moments making sure this is in contact with your skin and then connect with the crystal shards. I'll try to attune them to your new friends." 

Dom left Mo to figure out her Veil and approached the young woman. He smiled with more professionalism than sincerity and held up the band.  "May I?" 

Dom sensed a subtle, peaceful energy from her. She held out her wrist and he tightened it. Turning to the young man, he caught a mischievous look for which he was not the intended recipient. He heard the young woman giggle, Sahn was it?

The young man held out his arm, and Dom was struck by the sincere confidence he felt in the man's presence. "Nym, is it?" Dom started. 

"Yes, and you are Dom." 

Dom paused and spoke slowly. "Yes. Has Mo been telling tales? Lies, I'm sure." He saw Mo grin out of the corner of his eye. 

White teeth flashed as Nym smiled wide, his brown eyes sparkling, "I hope not." Dom noticed the dark freckles that spanned the bridge of Nym's broad nose, and felt warmth spreading up his neck to his cheeks. 

Dom recovered by lifting the Veil to Nym's wrist. His crystal sang as he tightened the band. 

"We'll need to attune the crystals next." 

Before Dom could say another word, he felt the ground rumble. A quick glance over his shoulder at Ahsoka confirmed it was time to go. Dark energy appeared in the distance, and he heard Mo's voice.

"Run!" 

Dom slung his pack across his shoulders and turned to lead the group back to the Kite. Within seconds, he could hear trees falling as the all-too-familiar sounds of Imperial ground units crashing in the distance. What were they doing this far into the Outer Rim? 

He had been up against his share of ground forces during the Clone Wars, and knew that what could be outrun could be beaten. But, if it could be outrun, fighting wasn't often necessary. 

To his left, he heard Ahoska's tech sound a warning. 

"That's the proximity alert from the Kite!" he called out to her. They slowed their pace momentarily to look at one another before breaking into a sprint. A handful of Imperial transport ships and blastboats flew overhead, laden with storm troopers. Their trajectory indicated that they would touch down ahead of them in both eastern and western directions. 

"We're being flanked," Dom yelled in between breaths. The first wave of blaster fire came from his left. He yanked out his lightsaber and parried bolts from the second wave. A Maran to his right staggered forward, caught by fire from behind. Dom slowed and called out to Ahsoka, "Lead them, I'll sweep!" 

He saw Ahsoka's nod before he turned, powerful Maran bodies racing by. Mo and Felh spun in his direction. 

"Run!" he shouted at them both. Felh surprised Dom by laughing. 

"We didn't come this far to fall, Jedi Dom." 

"Not a Jedi yet," Mo and Dom said in unison, parrying blasts. Dom shot Mo an incredulous glance.

" _Really?_ " he called out.  

An all terrain tactical enforcer smashed through the brush before them, diverting his attention to the massive, six-legged ground unit and the forward cannon mounted to its head. It paused to deploy two additional walkers, which came online quickly, their chin turrets angled towards the trio, spindly legs struggling to stabilize on the rough terrain. 

Felh began spinning his bo-rifle, its electrical charge crackling much as a lightsaber would. He deflected the first major bolt from the small walkers, but the impact knocked him back. Dom caught Felh with the Force before he could fall, and began to shift his own position to drop back quickly. 

A blastboat circled above them, and Dom watched shock troops repel from it. This was a full-scale ambush. His lightsaber became a blue swirl as he parried from muscle memory, partitioning his brain to assess the threats that were rapidly forming on all sides. He watched Mo return the fired blasts to take out handfuls of troopers, while Felh covered her side. 

Dom focused on one of the walkers, still wobbling on the terrain. Reaching out with the Force, he began to manipulate the landscape of gnarled roots and vines, tripping the walker to the point where it lost balance completely. As it tilted, he signaled to Mo, who pushed with him. Their combined effort toppled the walker into the heavier tactical enforcer. Dodging the laser blasts from the remaining walker, Dom reached out with the Force to pull the hovering blastboat off course as Mo deflected blaster fire to pick off descending shadow troopers. 

Dark energy countered his pull on the blastboat, and Dom became aware that its source must be on board. He tried again and saw a masked figure appear through the ship's open side. 

"Inquisitor!" Dom yelled to Mo, who glanced up quickly. Dom stepped forward to shield her with his lightsaber as she reached out with the Force, her pull stronger than his had been. He could sense that she was splitting her attention, first to limit the Inquisitor's resistance, and then to pull the blastboat. He sensed it waver, and made the quick decision to thicken the humid air and mess with the blastboat's lift. 

The ship dropped suddenly, giving Mo the advantage over the Inquisitor. She yanked the blastboat in the direction of the second walker, turning to run as it came down. Dom deflected another wave of blaster fire and followed Mo. He heard a satisfying explosion behind him, and could only hope that the Inquisitor had gone down with the ship. The ground rumbled again. Though they had disabled the walkers, the tactical enforcer was heavily reinforced. It would tank its way through the underbrush slowly, but relentlessly. 

As they ran, Dom sensed new dark signatures ahead. _More Inquisitors?_  He hoped their advance group had made it to the ship. Sensing the presence of beings surrounding them, he pushed forward over rotting logs, soft mosses cushioning the impact of his footfall. In the distance ahead, Dom saw three sets of electrical weapons energize at both ends. He stopped in his tracks and activated his lightsaber. These weapons were new to him. He had heard of the electrostaff but never encountered one. Mo paused briefly before charging towards the central figure. Dom hesitated briefly. As soon as it was clear that Felh had selected the trooper on the right, he went after the one on the left. 

Launching himself through the air with arms stretched above his head, Dom brought his lightsaber down with both hands. He was completely unprepared for the jolt that passed through his joints as his blade bounced off the electrical field the electrostaff generated. Dom shook his head once to clear it, pushing the trooper back with the Force. Felh had also been knocked back from his first strike. He scrambled to his feet as two troopers bore down on Mo's position. She spun and parried, raising a gauntlet to deflect the strikes she could not block with her lightsaber. It would have been easy to be mesmerized by the green streaks of her blade, dazed as he was.

Dom's adversary returned, the trooper's electrostaff whirling. Their weapons met, blade and electricity holding one another until Dom spun away at an odd angle to the trooper. In the moment it took the trooper to orient himself, Dom delivered a blow to the trooper's back with a simultaneous Force Push. He tossed a large, fallen tree across the back of the trooper, leaving the trooper pinned to the ground. Dom raced to help Mo. The support squadrons of shadow troopers were close enough now to lay down devastating rows of blaster fire, and Dom felt anger swell within him at the scale of the ambush. Bernie had encouraged him to harness his anger in these moments, not out of fear, but out of will. He felt his crystal resonate with a new energy, and he launched himself towards the shadow troopers, augmenting his speed with the Force as he dashed from place to place. He removed each of the troopers, including snipers within the trees. As the last trooper fell behind him, he returned his attention to Mo and Felh. They fought back-to-back, spinning together to block themselves and one another. This was clearly not their first tango. Dom wondered briefly how long the Marani had been fighting the Sith.  

Dom saw red blades appear from behind dark, jungle undergrowth, augmenting his sight to see two Inquisitors in the distance. He positioned himself between the Inquisitors and his friends, hoping Mo and Felh could hold out a bit longer. He felt a dark stirring against his lightsaber and absorbed the energy from it. He imagined the surprise on the Inquistor's face and smiled. He had forgotten about his Veil's effects, and relished the Inquisitors' uncertainty about his powers. He felt the second Inquisitor try to grip his arms with dark energy, and repelled them. They were not as strong as he feared, but his overconfidence was an immediate weakness. He barely raised his blade in enough time to deflect the lightsaber that boomeranged at him. 

"Help Dom!" he heard Mo shout, and Felh was soon at his side. 

"No!" Dom yelled, but it was clear that Felh did not take orders from him. The Maran charged the Inquisitors as though he had never been afraid a day in his life. Dom raced forward, catching up to Felh and launching himself into the air over them. Uncertain which direction to face, the Inquisitors spun. Felh used the moment to fire his bo-rifle at close range, knocking one off balance. Dom engaged the second Inquisitor that wielded two blades. 

He heard the sizzle of lightsabers connecting and looked back to see Mo manage three assailants. A third Inquisitor had joined the shock troopers, his red blade occupying the majority of Mo's attention as she deflected blows from the electrostaves. Dom knew Mo's energy had to be waning.  _Where was Ahsoka?_

Dom's blade met the Inquisitor's before him. His crystal nudged his attention to the synthetic crystals that powered his opponent's blades. With the Veil, the Inquisitor was a step behind his every move. He used the Force to target impurities in the crystals that powered each of his opponent's dark sabers. Dom directed humid air into hairline spaces, condensing and freezing it to expand the flaws. The Inquisitor's blades faltered, flickering twice and evaporating into thin air.

Dom didn't need to see the expression under that mask to know that the Inquisitor was shocked. With a tight smile, Dom tilted his head, "Sorry about this." He spun, his back now to his opponent. Grasping the hilt of his lightsaber with both hands, he stepped back and thrust his blade behind him into the Inquistor's heart. As the Inquisitor crumpled, Dom directed his gaze to the second, who Felh had kept at bay. Dom channeled the Force to capitalize on the Inquisitor's fear with coercion, "Run away, or die here today." 

The second Inquisitor turned and ran. Dom's Veil had given him a clear upper hand in this fight. He glanced at Felh who laughed as they ran to aid Mo. As they closed the distance, they realized that she was also using mind control, having coerced one of the troopers to support her cause. This allowed her to focus the majority of her attention on the Inquisitor, though she had to hold the coercion and give her trooper strength as they fought their former comrade. Her fatigue was visibly apparent at this point. Before Dom could reach them, the Inquisitor created an opening against Mo's defense. Her control over her trooper flagged. The other pressed the advantage, bringing their electrostaff down with amazing power. Mo's parry was not fast or strong enough to block effectively, and the electrostaff crashed against her leg. 

Dom heard Mo's left femur break. She screamed in pain, and the trooper she had coerced screamed with her. Dom saw Mo's weight shift and raced to catch her with one arm, raising his blade to block the double-handed killing blow from the Inquisitor. As the Inquisitor's blade was at its apex, Ahsoka appeared. Twin white blades raced from their hilts to sever the Inquisitor's arms at the elbows, just before Ashoka spun to eliminate the second trooper. The Inquisitor's wide eyes were laced with panic, as his lightsaber fell to the ground. Felh finished the Inquisitor off with a single blast from his rifle. He rushed to Mo's side as Dom cradled her. 

"Run away," Mo whispered. The coerced trooper dropped his weapon and fled. 

"We need to get her to Sahn," Felh said. Mo mustered a nod, sweat beading across her brow. 

Ahsoka looked from Dom to Mo. 

"She has healing gifts," Mo uttered, her breathing increasingly shallow.

"The Marani are holding the northern flank to buy us time to get to the Kite," Ahsoka said. 

"If you can get to the Kite, you can airlift us out," Dom offered. Ahsoka nodded, looking to Felh. 

"I will help you clear the way," he said. 

Ahsoka and Felh ran ahead as Dom helped Mo to her feet. Placing his shoulder under her arm, he grasped her wrist with one hand, his other hand around her waist to support her as she hopped. The tangled roots across the rough ground made it difficult for them to move quickly without causing Mo additional pain. Mo's foot caught a vine, tripping Dom. She cried out as they stumbled forward. Dom paused, wincing in sympathy.  

Mo threw her arm around Dom's shoulder once again. Dom grabbed her arm, augmenting his strength with the Force to take all weight off of her leg. Mo's shirt was soaked with sweat and her skin felt cool to the touch. It was evident that she was no longer regulating her environment and was going into shock. Dom knew she was having a tough time remaining centered. They paused for a moment, chests heaving from the exertion. 

"You can do this Mo, we've got this."  

She flashed him an unexpected grin. "When we get out of this, I'm getting you a better tunic. This fabric is rubbish."

Dom laughed, half desperation, half relief. "The Kite should be just ahead. Ready?" 

Mo nodded.

Thunderous rumbling and accompanying wind signaled the arrival of another troop drop, and Dom looked up to see an Imperial shuttle overhead. That tactical enforcer couldn't be far behind either. He channeled his energy and picked up the pace, cautious not to trip again. He cast a quick glance in the direction of the ships, sensing a disturbance in the Force. Imperial shock troopers poured out the drop ship's sides, rappelling to the ground. He saw Ahsoka's white blades up ahead.  

A surge of relief flooded his system when he spotted their landing site in the distance. Though there was no evidence of the cloaked ship, just knowing it was there brought hope. That hope flagged briefly when he realized that there was a platoon of storm troopers in between their position and the ship. Ahsoka and Felh took cover behind a clump of old trees and waited for them to catch up. 

"Have you ever met a Sith Lord?" Mo said to their small group through ragged breaths. 

Dom glanced at Ahsoka and Felh, then back down to Mo, who gave him a weak smile.

"No. Why?" A tree limb above them exploded on contact with blaster bolts. The troopers were firing blind, trying to flush them out. 

"Because we're about to if we don't get out of here. We have to get to the ship before he arrives," she said.

Dom nodded, but he knew his expression broadcast his uncertainty. 

Mo pushed herself away from him and spoke in strained tones, "Clear the path. I will hide."  

"No way," Dom started.

Ahoska cut him off, "What if the Sith sense you?"  

"Distract them. After all isn't that what this is for?" Mo tapped the Veil wedged under her gauntlet with a forced smile. "Let's hope it works."  

Dom looked to Ahsoka and shook his head. "We can't leave her behind."

"Do you have a better idea?"

Dom looked from Mo to Ahsoka, and back to Mo. He shook his head. "No."  

With that, he helped Mo slide down the trunk of the largest tree into a seated position. He channeled the Force through his crystal to check her veil. She grimaced as she moved her broken leg. Dom helped her wedge herself underneath a huge rotting log. She closed her eyes to enter a meditative trance that slowed her metabolism. Felh helped cover her completely with branches, large leaves, and moss. Positioning another large log above her, he offered her some sort of blessing. Dom took a moment to memorize every feature of the log she was under.

 _Hold tight, Mo. We'll be back soon,_  Dom thought. 

Satisfied that she was well hidden, Dom grabbed his lightsaber as Felh picked up his bo-rifle. Dom found the hiss of its activation a comforting sound in all this mess, blue blade glowing anew in the encroaching dusk. With a nod from Ahsoka, the three charged in the direction of the barricade. Several troopers had edged forward towards their location while they had deliberated. Dom respected the bravery the troopers demonstrated, though it was a foolish gesture in this case. He used the Force to yank the blasters from their hands and turn them onto the small group.  The troopers scrambled in retreat, and Dom let the blasters drop. A thought nagged at him: Was it coincidence that the troopers were at the landing site? If not, how did they know where to place a barricade to block the Kite from their position? 

He pressed forward with Ahsoka towards the barricade. The light of their blades blurred as they spun, shielding them from countless bolts of blaster fire. They carved a path to the Kite as shadow troopers dropped in behind them with heavy rifles. The Kite materialized, its cloak dropped. Dom saw the cargo ramp descend and heard the launch sequence start. It's turrets lit the ground up in front of it, sending troopers and brush flying. Someone in their group was already aboard, and not a terrible shot. Felh gestured to the Kite with a proud smile as he deflected another blast and charged into a cluster of troopers, "Sahn and Nym!"

The remaining troopers that stood between them and the Kite scrambled. Dom looked up and saw the Kite's laser turrets swivel towards the most recent drop of shadow troopers. Ahsoka focused her attention on the heavy rifles of the newest reinforcements. Dom watched her pull the largest guns from the hands of their owners to levitate and spin them one hundred and eighty degrees. All Imperial heavy weapons were now trained on the enemy, with the Kite's armaments as backup. Dom heard Ahoska's voice above the noise. She augmented it with the Force as an intimidation tactic. 

"Leave and live!" 

A trooper declined her offer, standing to shoot with his sidearm. She parried the blast easily with one blade. Turning her head towards him, she trained all the heavy blasters at her disposal and fired. His evaporated form was enough for the remaining troopers to make up their minds. Dom saw the raw shock in Felh's expression. Troopers peeled away as quickly as they could, scrambling in all directions. 

The Imperial shuttle began its landing sequence and Dom could sense the heightening darkness of the Sith Lord that Mo had predicted. Ahsoka and Dom raced up the Kite's cargo ramp, while Felh stood at its base. Ahoska continued to the cockpit while Dom looked back to Felh. 

"Come with us!" Dom urged. 

Felh shook his head, "I'm not yet done here. Take care of Nym and Sahn." 

Dom squinted as the engines kicked up debris. He pushed his hair from his eyes as he strained to see the clump of trees that marked Mo's location. He looked back to see that Felh was gone, headed north to join the rest of the Marani. As the Kite pulled away from the planet's surface, Dom enhanced his vision to scout the Imperial shuttle.  He saw its ramp descend. A tall figure walked briskly down the ramp, broad shoulders carrying a swirling black cape that framed heavy, black armor. At the center of figure's chest was the life-support control that characterized his signature suit and helmet. That helmet, and the terror it inspired, was known throughout the galaxy, it's hard round cap flaring into a wide edge around the base of its wearer's skull. Smooth, black orbs and a triangular respirator distinguished the plate that covered a face Dom understood to have been burned beyond recognition.

" _Vader_ ," Dom whispered. 

Darth Vader's head turned in Dom's direction, as if he were looking right at him. Dom told himself that it was less likely that the Sith Lord had heard him, and more likely that the Kite had  been spotted as it cleared the treeline. He saw Vader signal to the tall, cloaked man to his right, pale skin and red markings across his face evident even at this distance. Dom saw the man rally troopers, who now flooded the area between the shuttle and the Kite.

An enormous fireball appeared in the north, and Dom watched more than half the troopers deploy towards it. Though their encounter had been brief, Dom put his faith in Felh and the Marani. He sensed they would do everything they could to distract the troops from Mo. A second fireball lit up the northern position, drawing additional troops away from Mo's location. 

Dom raised the ramp, the cloak engaging the moment it locked into place. He hoped Mo knew what she was doing. If Bernie ever found out that he had agreed to leave a Jedi behind, even temporarily...  _Hold on, Mo_ , he prayed as the Kite rocketed away from the surface.


	22. Massa

Serena stepped out of the penthouse to find Bernie waiting for her at the lift.  

It had taken some time to work out scheduling kinks, but the Jedi had been true to her word. They had struck a pleasant balance and Serena was left to wonder what it was she had been so worried about. Though the occasional soreness in her shoulder was an ongoing reminder of the uncertainty that literally lived within her, Serena found herself strangely optimistic and energetic. It was easier to get out of bed each morning. The days of hiding her head under pillows were replaced by an eagerness to get started with the day. Sleep brought relief that she hadn't felt since the medical convoy was attacked.  

Completely unaware of what had happened on Ambria, Jason seemed to welcome the changes.  As exhausting as his morning interrogations could be without the aid of coffee, his cheerfulness during today's breakfast made it impossible to be irritable. Whether out of obligation or desire, Bernie had delivered on all of her promises so far. Last night's dinner of fish and chips had been followed by a few games of Adovse Jengu. As it turned out, the traditional rules added a cutthroat edge to the game that Serena enjoyed. It had never occurred to her to add a bartering round, though it made perfect sense. It didn't hurt that Jason and Bernie now owed her their chocolate rations for the week.  

Jason had insisted that they plan extra time for games from now on. Any adjustment to his schedule was noteworthy. He spent all of breakfast recounting each move from each round with detailed precision. She had eventually given up the task of reminding Jason that, yes, she had been there too. She should let Bernie know that the Jedi's presence would be expected every week from now on.  

As she approached Bernie, she saw the blonde's dark eyes sparkle in greeting.  

"Good morning, Senator."  

Serena flashed a coy smile, "Good morning, Major."  

Bernie held the lift doors open, allowing Serena to enter first. Serena glanced down quickly at the Jedi's boots, confirming that they were freshly polished. She stifled a smile at the thought of Bernie's small, daily gesture. Once she realized that her offhand comment had produced such effect, Serena was cautious to tease the Jedi about her appearance. Bernie seemed to exist in varied states of dishevelment that Serena found incredibly attractive. Though she was grateful that she no longer had to worry over tracked mud at meetings of state, she didn't want the Jedi to change anything else.  

Their unveiled encounter on Ambria had given her the perspective to admit that she had been drawn to Bernie from the moment they met, regardless of whether it was appropriate or not. Her attempts at suppressing her attraction had only exacerbated the awkward tension that they were finally getting past. The power of the connection had startled her at first, and she had to forgive herself for what were minor transgressions under unusual circumstances. She had not wielded the Force with the intention to seduce. It had just happened.

Force seduction had been the topic of endless, hidden conversations, in both professional and personal circles. The destruction of the Jedi Order at the hands of Anakin Skywalker had seared the Sith brand into the collective consciousness of all who were under the rule of the Empire.  Anakin's motives had been the subject of endless debate, though never openly.  Depending on the preferred source of gossip, Padme Amidala was either victim or harlot.  

Serena was progressive enough to call out the misogyny of anyone who dared label the princess a harlot. Who was she to judge another's lived experience? She had spent enough time with the Naboo delegates to feel certain that Padme was a strong, smart woman. Morven spoke of Padme as if she were describing a wiser, older sister. It felt insincere to frame any part of Padme as helpless. But Serena's experience with the Force also led her to believe that the power of Anakin's persuasion could have been severe, whether he was conscious of his influence or not. Then again, feeding unconscious desires was as much as path to the Dark Side as conscious violence, wasn't it? She sighed softly in a moment of insecurity: Is that what she had done to Bernie? 

Perhaps Serena was sensitive to the topic because her training as a healer had ingrained in her a lifetime of ethical conduct surrounding use of the Force.  She wasn't sure how a Force-sensitive individual responded to the conscious or subconscious desires of another Force-user, no one did. Many argued that Jedi celibacy was based on this ambiguity, though others pointed to ancient Jedi marriages to contradict the claim. Was it a two-way street if both individuals were Force-sensitive? Weren't all relationships capable of influence by either party?

Either way, the modern Code was what it was. She was sure that she had an obligation to act professionally by creating healthy boundaries with Bernie. Ultimately, she knew it was as much for her benefit as it was for Bernie's. Within the space of a day, she had gone from casual flirtation over work, to life threatening injuries, to a state of Force-induced bliss. Against all reason, she had felt superhuman in that canyon when she should have felt frail and exhausted. Never mind the fact that she had somehow dragged the Jedi into all of it with her. As much as she longed to recreate those feelings every time the Jedi was near, Serena told herself she had to pull back. Though the veils now blocked their abilities to sense one another, it was clear that Bernie had also pulled back. What was it she had said during their return flight, something about 'managing their undeniable sexual chemistry'? Serena had replayed that conversation over and over again in her mind. She could still hear Bernie's voice saying,  _Perhaps it's wise to keep it confined to Ambria?_  Serena reached within herself and felt the bright bead of poison, wrapped now in layers of energy: hers, Bernie's, and what she could only presume was residual energy from the canyon. Against her better judgment, she would often reach out with the Force to trace the bead so that she could feel the blend of their energies against the darkness. 

The overarching challenge of it all was tied to the fact that it had been such a long time since she had been seriously attracted to anyone. Immersed in Senate politics and the egocentric nature of Coruscanti culture, it was rare to connect with anyone both genuine and clever enough to call a friend, much less turn her head. Leave it to her to crush on one of the last members of a celibate order. That didn't mean she had to self-flagellate every time she caught herself tracing the lines of Bernie's long legs. As Chonyo would say,  _Just because you shouldn't jump off that cliff doesn't mean you can't enjoy the view from it_. A bit of early morning flirtation felt like putting her toes to the cliff's edge. She told herself that she was still on the cliff. _Just stay on the cliff._ She muttered a quiet prayer to thank all the gods for the Force Veils.     

"What was that?" Bernie's voice broke in, and Serena's cheeks flushed.  Recovering, she smoothed her cloak, tugging at its edges. 

"I was just wondering if we might add an item to the schedule tomorrow."  Serena had been toying with the idea of returning to the medical clinic. Apparently, surviving a Hssiss attack had reinforced her confidence, though it had done nothing to quiet the voices of concern in the delegation for her safety. Bernie's presence was the only reason any of them let her out of their sight. There was always a risk, but Serena had increasing faith that their combined abilities would be adequate to mitigate any circumstance they might encounter. 

"What did you have in mind?" Bernie said.  

"The team is planning to run the Eyre tomorrow before dawn."  Serena turned to observe Bernie's reaction.  "I was thinking we might want to help them out before the first Senate hearing."  The lift beeped at each floor as it descended to the ground level. 

"That sounds ambitious."  The Jedi's tone was hard to interpret.  

"Absolutely. I completely expect to collapse at the end of the day. What do you say?" 

"I'm game if you are. Send me the coordinates so that I can review holomaps of the district."

Serena flashed Bernie another smile, and they stood together in silence. Bernie laced her fingers together in front of her. The lift settled and its doors opened. Serena held the door and signaled for Bernie to lead. The Jedi wasn't the only authority on chivalry.  

They walked through the corridor to Serena's shuttle.   

"So, this morning's appointment with... Massa?  I have to admit, I've never met an Anzat living openly in the Core Worlds before. I was surprised to read about her request in the dossier you sent me." 

Serena nodded. "It is exceptionally rare for Anzati to co-exist with other species, and I wasn't quite sure what to make of it when Massa approached me to seek treatment." 

Bernie's brow furrowed. "Treatment? You act like her natural instincts are a medical condition to be overcome." 

"Well, if she chooses to live a life among other species without consuming them, who are we to decide if she's right or wrong?"  

Bernie paused. The doors to the landing pad slid open, revealing a sunny day for Coruscant. Squinting in the daylight as they approached the shuttle, Bernie tapped the code into the retrieval system.  The Alderaanian shuttle cruised to the boarding ramp, and they took seats without negotiation.  Bernie had started piloting to give Serena time to review messages on the way to the Senate offices. The Jedi also seemed to enjoy any opportunity to play pilot. This meant that Serena was able to free up the Alderaanian solider responsible for her transport. She had never been fond of the idea of an assigned driver, having been perfectly capable of flying herself from the day she arrived on Coruscant. If the Alderaanian captains had been aware of a fraction of what she had been doing without their approval, they would have required a full-time escort.   

 _Isn't that what Bernie is, after all?_  Serena pushed away the nagging insecurity she felt about the source of Bernie's attention. A small voice returned to tell her that her feelings were one-sided, that she had abused their professional relationship to get what she wanted. The rational part of her brain countered again with examples of mutual exchange that evidenced their deepening friendship, but the voice could be persistent.  

Buildings streaked by as Serena gazed out the shuttle window and considered the Jedi's reaction to her plan of treatment with Massa. She certainly hadn't sought out the arrangement. The Anzat had arrived unexpectedly at the medical clinic one day, appearing before her and calling her "Healer". It had unnerved Serena. Massa had not only evaded the medical team with ease, she had been the only individual in the capital to sense Serena's gifts through the veil prototype. To make things worse, Serena had been enthralled, which she blamed entirely on the Anzat's psychic lure. Her stomach had been in knots for days after the encounter. Serena and Chonyo had only just started working on the Force Veil at the time. Their prototype hadn't accounted for the abilities of telepathic species, such as the Anzati.  

Thinking back to that first meeting, Serena laughed quietly at her anxieties. Massa was as imposing as any member of her species, though they were often felt before they were seen. Anazat were often masters of stealth and manipulation. Massa stood almost a foot taller than Serena, her curves pronounced under the heavy cloak she wore. Long curls of thick, black hair accented with blue and green streaks framed flawless, grey skin. Dark eyes with long lashes balanced the upturned nose and full lips on her round face. From what she could find in the databases on Anzati physiology, Serena estimated that Massa was over nine hundred years old, which was not particularly young, but far from old. Few individuals had been in such close contact with an Anzat and lived to tell the tale. An ancient species, the Anzati had evolved as apex predators that subsisted on the life force of others. "Soup," as they called it. The more powerful the victim was in the Force, the tastier they were to an Anzat, if Serena's sources were to be believed. She had yet to ask Massa about the taste of another's life force. 

Though Serena wouldn't say that she trusted Massa, they had both been able to honor a set of negotiated terms for the treatment. Serena would meet with Massa one-on-one, so long as the Anzat limited all telepathic activity, including seduction. The minute Serena felt otherwise, their sessions would end. Their approach was to apply a variety of techniques to help Massa control her urges to feed and monitor her impulses. Serena was quite pleased with the tracking metrics she had developed for this purpose. Massa had committed to fasting during this time, or subsisting on livestock when necessary. 

That didn't mean the experience had been without its challenges.  On one occasion, Serena applied an old Alderaanian calming technique that called forth a tremendous amount of healing energy.  Its unexpected wave had triggered Massa's instinctive desire to feed. Thin, feeding tubes typically hidden along the cheekbones of Massa's face emerged, snaking towards her prey.  Eyes closed in concentration, Serena's first awareness of the proboscis was the moment she felt them on her face.  

She shivered slightly at the memory.  Having studied accounts of Anzati predation, she knew that those proboscis could have easily penetrated her nasal cavities before she would have had time to react. Massa's ability to resist this urge was the first sincere indication that their efforts might work.  Even so, Serena had not yet forgotten the look in the Anzat's eyes.  It could be summed up in one word: hunger.  

With everything that had happened recently, it had been weeks since Serena had been able to schedule an appointment with Massa. She wasn't sure how the Anzat would respond to the addition of Bernie. Serena felt relief that she didn't have to continue to take the risks on her own. Chonyo had offered to join them months ago, but Serena refused to disclose zir identity to an individual whose loyalties were difficult to pin down. The Anzati were revered by the Sith for their stealth and predation, though the Anzati viewed the Force as a quaint approach to life energy.  Though Anzati often acted autonomously, Serena couldn't dismiss the coincidence of Massa's timing with the development of the Force Veil.  

As the shuttle pulled up to the Senate valet, Bernie leaned over.  "You've been particularly quiet, Senator. Credit for your thoughts?"  

"Just preparing mentally for this appointment." 

Bernie's expression clouded with concern. "Is there anything more I need to know about?" 

Serena smiled and placed a reassuring hand on Bernie's arm, "Nothing more than what's in the dossier.  It's always a tossup.  I haven't seen Massa in weeks, and I'm not sure what her response will be to your presence in the room."  

"I see." Bernie keyed in the shuttle's landing sequence. 

"Let's play it by ear, shall we?" Serena said as the doors to the shuttle opened. She gathered the long fabric of her skirt in one hand and stepped out onto the landing platform. Bernie joined her as the shuttle pulled away, and they headed to Serena's offices.  

Before she had a chance to settle in, she heard the access request sound at the door. While typically punctual, the Anzat was seldom early. Serena hoped the long gap in their sessions hadn't been too hard on her patient. Glancing at Bernie for an affirmative nod, Serena activated the intercom. "Come in."  

Massa entered from the waiting room, her eyes darted immediately to Bernie and back to Serena. Serena sensed the Anzat's pulse quicken. Had she not been focused on Massa's reaction, she would have missed the soft heave of her breasts and subtle lick of her lips. Serena had learned enough about her patient to detect the minuscule widening of Massa's pupils. Something in the room was triggering Massa, and Serena could only conclude that it was Bernie. She felt a wave of sympathy for the Anzat. After Ambria, there were few things she wanted as much as another taste of the Jedi's energy. 

***** 

As expected, the Anzat's dossier didn't fully prepare Bernie for the encounter of meeting Massa. To Bernie's senses, Massa's energy rippled softly like the first waves of a tsunami. Her presence was subtle enough to go undetected, and pleasant enough to feel harmless for those who didn't know any better. Bernie was careful to assess the Anzat without giving away her own abilities. 

Bernie observed that all of Massa's senses were engaged as soon as she walked into the room. Regardless of the senator's assurances, Bernie was immediately wary of the way the Anzat looked at Serena. She felt as though she were intruding on an intimate space, as if a third wheel. Bernie knew rationally that the Anzati had evolved to manipulate prey, and that every move was likely calculated, including her entrance. The veil's effects created a new dynamic for Bernie, as a Jedi Master, it had been quite some time since she had been ignored by anyone. Though Massa had yet to look again in her direction, Bernie received the message the Anzat was sending. The tension in the room became palpable. 

Serena stepped forward quickly, gesturing towards Bernie with a hand. "Massa, allow me to introduce you to Major Wolfe. She has been assigned by the Alderaanian guard as part of their new protocol, and will remain here during our appointment." 

Massa's eyes remained fixed on Serena. "Are you afraid of me now, Healer?" 

"No," Serena said in measured tones. "I was none too pleased to adopt a military shadow, but there you have it. She's sworn to confidence, and will wait outside while we work. I thought it best for you to meet, since she will be present from now on."  

Massa continued to ignore Bernie, her eyes locked with Serena's. "And how do I know, Healer, that this  _guard_  will honor our confidence? Will she know what it is that we do behind closed doors?" 

Bernie observed Serena, the senator's posture shifted and her attitude dripped a casual confidence that didn't quite match the steely look now in her eyes. Bernie wondered if Massa was intentionally treading a very thin line. Serena also appeared to be navigating an invisible path. Bernie imagined a silent dance between the two. Was Massa trying to provoke Serena? Perhaps test them both? Bernie stood still and stared ahead. If Serena was going to describe her as standard issue, she might as well play the part. 

"Why don't we discuss those terms alone?" Serena nodded towards Bernie. "Major, will you give us the room, please?"

Bernie turned to face Serena, nodded, and left the room. On the way out, she caught an imperceptibly smug smile from Massa, and bit her tongue to avoid getting a word in as she left.

Once in the waiting room, Bernie reflected on the fact that in a matter of minutes, the Anzat had gotten under her skin. She smiled briefly at Serena's assistant, grabbing a tablet to distract herself with the week's schedule. She resisted the impulse to augment her hearing with the Force to eavesdrop on the conversation next door. There was no reason that she needed to know what it was that they were discussing, and it wasn't worth the risk. She would be able to detect any spike in aggression or use of the Force, which was all that was necessary to ensure Serena's safety. Not to mention the fact that what Serena chose to do was completely Serena's business. Her role was simply to protect the senator, after all. 

Bernie tossed the tablet on an end table and raked a hand through her hair. A glance from Serena's assistant made Bernie aware of the fact that she had been pacing. She forced herself to sit down, her lips drawn in a tight line as she tried to let go of the irritation she felt.   

*****

Massa took another step towards Serena, who leaned casually against her desk. Serena had learned early in their interactions to stand her ground. Nothing triggered a predator faster than prey that ran. She could sense that the Anzat wanted her on the defensive, but couldn't quite work out why. 

"It's been some time," Serena said. 

"You've changed, Healer." Massa slowly unbuttoned the clasp at her throat, removing her cloak to drape it across one of the chairs beside Serena's desk.

Serena walked forward, pulling one of Massa's hands into her own to admire the crimson polish that coated sharp nails. "And you've chosen a new color. My compliments to your manicurist." 

Massa's eyebrows arched in surprise, and both women paused at the unexpected forwardness of Serena's gesture. Massa used the moment to pull Serena close, and drew in a long breath through her nose. The Anzat's eyes closed slightly.  

"Your scent betrays you, Healer. Every exquisite note that defined you is more complex than the last time we met." 

Serena tilted her head slightly, and spoke in low tones. "Is a bit of darkness all it takes?" 

The Anzat pulled back to look her in the eyes. Serena could see the ends of Massa's feeding tubes emanating from her cheeks, her pupils now clearly dilated.

"This is the part where you regain control," Serena said, taking a step back. The edge in her voice was new, as was every other part of this interaction. Where was her fear? Her professionalism? What on Alderaan was she playing at? 

Massa stepped back and took a deep breath. Serena felt the Anzat focus on a technique they had developed together, though Serena couldn't recall if Massa had ever successfully implemented it when so stimulated. Serena caught herself staring at Massa, and looked away quickly, having no desire to make Massa's work any harder than it had to be. She busied herself by grabbing the water pitcher from a tray on her desk and pouring a glass for them both. Serena felt Massa's gaze and glanced up. 

She walked to the Anzat, offering a glass and taking a small sip from her own. "How are you feeling?"

Massa accepted, her eyes never wavering from Serena's. "What happened on Ambria, Healer?" 

Though she would have rather hidden her shock, Serena's body didn't get the message fast enough. Her eyes widened and she involuntarily dropped her glass. It thudded as it struck the office carpet. Serena regained her composure as quickly as she could, dropping to one knee to pick up the glass. The Anzat was immediately before her, having also dropped to one knee. Their eyes were now level, their faces only inches apart. 

"I'm sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about." It was all Serena could get out. She trained her eyes on the dark spot where the water had spilled from her glass, avoiding Massa's stare.  

"We are in dangerous times, Healer. Yet, you wear the energy of a sun as if it were a broach." 

Serena moved to stand up quickly, but Massa's hand grabbed her wrist to stop her. Serena locked eyes with the Anzat and resisted the impulse to pull her wrist back. She steadied her voice and intensified the authority in her gaze. "Release my wrist. Now." 

A smirk spread across the Anzat's face. "When you decide what to do with that darkness, you know how to find me." With that, the Anzat released her grip but made no other move.

The office intercom chirped at Serena's desk. There were few reasons Donna would interrupt an appointment, and it was seldom good news. Serena was both grateful for the interruption and freshly anxious for what caused it. Her eyes glanced to the door, but Massa seemed unphased. The intercom chirped again, and Serena heard the sounds of the keypad being accessed to enter override codes.

Massa had them both on their feet the moment Bernie stepped through the door. Serena felt off-balance and disheveled. 

"I would advise you to step away from the senator," Bernie said without hesitation, her voice laced with warning. Massa grabbed her cloak in a fluid motion and walked past Bernie as if she had not heard the Jedi. A look over her shoulder at Serena spoke volumes, notably that she had no intention for this to be their last encounter.  

With that, the Anzat was gone. Serena felt Bernie's hand at her elbow. 

"Well, that didn't go to plan," Serena said, bending down to swipe the glass from the floor. She turned to Bernie and saw concern in the Jedi's eyes.

"Is there news?" 

Bernie nodded, "A notification scheduling a secure transmission to the Eyre within the hour. We are to leave immediately."

"Any news from your friends?" Serena asked. 

The concern intensified, "Word came that you are needed." 

Serena's expression transformed immediately, her brain dropped any concerns it had with Massa or her own behavior for that matter, and shifted entirely to the tasks necessary to leave the planet without arousing suspicion. If the Alliance reached out for her specifically, it could only mean that a Force user was seriously hurt and that the risk of her involvement was necessary. She'd spent enough time these past years getting used to the notion of a secret identity, had even used the odd tip or two from a series Jason had been reading to balance leading two lives. 

As they walked out of the office, Serena leaned over Donna's desk, "Please send a note to Mr. Fletcher that we will need to arrange a meeting with the Tailor as soon as I return. Reach out to Allan and make sure Jason knows that they'll need to have dinner together tonight as well as tomorrow. Shift my afternoon, claim fatigue, and contact my replacement." 

Donna nodded and stood, pulled out her tablet and captured an image of the senator. Serena was certain her double would replicate it flawlessly in the twenty minutes it would take them to meet in the lab and trade places. Opening a large drawer at the base of her desk, Donna pulled out a large messenger bag and handed it to Bernie. Everything Serena needed to change her appearance was packed tightly within it. The Jedi slung the bag over a shoulder and followed Serena out the door. 


	23. Compound Fracture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to BB and Joycegrenfellshat for their encouragement during this long pause. If you're enjoying the story, you can thank them for this chapter. (The Holby Winter Trailer and opening weekend of The Last Jedi helped a bit too!)

As the Kite broke Mar Mona’s upper atmosphere, Dom joined Ahsoka in the cockpit. Nym vacated the pilot’s chair he was in and Sahn stepped back to give Dom room. An Imperial Command Cruiser loomed before them in open space. Two escort vessels flanked its sides, and a handful of TIE fighters circulated around them like flies at a picnic.

“Are we still cloaked?” Dom asked as he sat. Ahsoka nodded, her expression stony. Dom detected that she had withdrawn somewhat. Sharing stories of what had happened on the planet’s surface would have to wait. Whatever her experiences, she appeared as unsettled by the ambush as he felt.   

“How did they know to land beside a cloaked ship?” he continued, adjusting the sensors for sensitivity to songsteel. “Do you think they can detect us now?”

The cockpit was silent. Dom could feel their guests’ eyes shift between him and Ahsoka. He waited, trying to give Ahsoka the space to process her thoughts so that they could formulate a plan to rescue Mo. Coordinates appeared on his console confirming trace levels of songsteel. The silence stretched and his anxiety won out.  

“Ahsoka?” he prodded.

“I don’t know how they knew about our plans, Dom. Why don’t you tell us?”

Dom gave her a baffled look. “I have no idea!” He started to feel defensive, wondering briefly if she was implying something. Ahsoka didn’t seem like the type to withdraw under pressure, or make passive aggressive comments. Dom didn’t know what to make of her behavior, and there wasn’t time to accommodate her mood. Though the Imperial Cruiser gave no indications that its crew was aware of their presence, the ship’s proximity made Dom nervous. He knew that the smart decision would be to get as much distance as possible between the Kite and the Imperial ships, but Dom didn’t want to get any further from the planet’s surface before coming up with a plan.

“What do we do?” he asked, watching Ahsoka flip switches to initialize the hyperdrive. Why was she prepping to make a jump to light speed? 

“I’ve sent a secure communication requesting urgent assistance from the Alliance. Scrambled message received told us to withdraw and hold in a secure location for instructions.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

Ahsoka turned to face him, “The planet’s surface is crawling with Inquisitors, and there’s enough fire power on those ships to make the Kite’s turrets look like toy blasters. If Mo was right, there’s a Sith Lord on their way, which seems like too much of a coincidence. They knew we were coming.”

Dom swallowed his reply. There was no point in escalating the current argument and weakening his position with news of what he had seen. Ahsoka either hadn't seen Darth Vader or was unwilling to make the connection that he was the Sith Lord Mo had sensed. As soon as Ahsoka agreed to return to the planet, he could tell her that Vader was on the surface. At the moment, he felt as though there was a critical piece of information he was missing. 

“Be that as it may, we can’t leave Mo down there alone,” Dom persisted.

“She’s less likely to be detected on her own, and may be safer without us,” Ahsoka replied.

“Jedi Effanga is excellent at stealth,” Nym added, “She will not be found if she does not desire it to be so.”

Dom shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment, and took a deep breath. “I don’t think any of you realize how hurt she is. We have to evacuate her to a medical station as soon as possible.”

Sahn placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder, which he shrugged off immediately. He resisted the impulse to shoot her a withering look, staring at the console instead. She took a small step back. “Jedi Effanga has taught me a great deal about Force Healing,” she said. 

The attempts to reassure Dom helped make his decision. If they wouldn’t listen to him, he would have to act independently. Turning to the console, he keyed in a return route to the planet and felt the Kite bank quickly. Nym and Sahn staggered at the rapid shift, and Dom could imagine the sound of the teapot shattering again in the mess. He ran a quick subroutine to lock out Ahsoka’s console before inputting reentry coordinates south of their original landing. He swiped Ahsoka’s tablet off the console before jumping out of his seat. She discovered the lockout quickly, as she keyed in authorization commands to override.  

“Dom?” Ahsoka called behind him. “Dom!”

Before anyone else could react, Dom ran through the corridors to the row of escape pods. He turned to see Ahsoka tearing down the corridor towards him as the metal hatch door to the first pod slid up. Jumping inside, Dom slammed the hatch control down to close it. Ahsoka’s face appeared in the small window of the hatch. Her concern and anger were evident as she pounded on the metal between them with both fists. 

“Dom! Don’t do this!”

“I’m not leaving her down there to die,” he yelled, his voice booming in the small pod. He hoped she could understand him through the glass. The Kite shook at the rough reentry through the planet’s atmosphere. Dom watched Ahsoka rip off the control panel, working feverishly to disable the pod. He flashed her a look of annoyance. Who did she think she was? This was his home. It only took her a minute to realize that he had disabled the pod override sequence as well.  

His smug expression shifted to shock as the white blade of Ahsoka’s lightsaber appeared. Dom realized that he couldn’t give her any more time, or she would carve him out of the pod. Unsure that he had the proper trajectory at this point, he punched in the eject sequence and watched the secondary hatch slide closed. Dom saw Ahsoka scream in frustration as the hatch closed, her expression a mixture of shock, anger, and betrayal. 

Dom collapsed on the pod bench as his actions sunk in and the adrenaline dropped. He wasn’t accustomed to acting against a ranking Jedi, but why was Ahsoka playing it so safe when Mo's life was in the balance? And what wasn't she telling him? From everything he thought he knew about her, she should have been the first to suggest that they immediately return to the planet.

The planet's surface expanded in the pod window with each passing second. A parachute deployed to slow the pod’s descent with a jolt. Dom heard reverse thrusters engage to soften the landing just before the pod fell into the canopy with a thud. Keying in commands to disable the emergency beacon and power down the systems, he threw the hatch lever. The door blasted open, and the planet’s characteristic stench returned. Dom grabbed a first aid kit and tucked a bacta pump under one arm. He fled the pod, dropping down from the tangle of limbs and leaves to the jungle floor. An overwhelming sense of darkness permeated the planet’s energy. Even the mountains appeared to cast longer shadows than they had before. He pulled up the holomap on Ahsoka’s tablet to reference his position and said a quiet prayer of thanks to whatever guiding hand had dropped him just three miles south of Mo’s estimated position. 

_Hang on, Mo._

*****

Dom scanned every inch of the jungle floor before moving towards the cluster of trees where he had left Mo. There was evidence that Imperial troops had returned to the location many times in their short absence. Deep tracks from heavy ground units crisscrossed in the mud. Dom reached out with the Force, sensing the wisps of energy produced by the fractured jungle that would peek through the layer of dark energy everywhere. He could sense that Vader had been lured to the north, but small pockets of concentrated darkness indicated that several roaming Inquisitors continued their search for Mo in the south. Though Dom took their presence as a good sign that they hadn't yet found her, the proximity of one pocket was a bit close for comfort. In the midst of it all, Dom sensed a familiar presence that he couldn't quite identify, like a smell that the nose was unable to place immediately.

 “Mo,” Dom whispered. He dashed between clumps of debris, scanning the tangle of shattered limbs and downed trunks to find the place she hid. Imperial units had uprooted trees and destroyed low-lying vegetation, scattering them across the landscape and obliterating his points of reference. Where their units hadn't exposed mud, charred layers of undergrowth crunched under his feet. All leafy cover had been removed, and Dom realized just how exposed his position was. He kept tabs on the closest cell of dark energy, the increasing strength of the Inquisitor's presence indicated that they were looping back to his location. 

"Mo!" Dom hissed with increasing urgency. 

He consulted the tablet again, he knew he was in the right place. Reviewing the planetary scan he had taken from the Kite, Dom calibrated the global positioning calculations to output an enhanced resolution that would allow him to triangulate the location of the songsteel he had detected. A small red orb appeared on the map just ahead of his position, and Dom reminded himself to thank Mo for her extravagant taste in armor.  

Dom spotted the massive tree trunk they had placed across Mo, only to realize that it had been jammed several feet into the ground. He paled at the thought of an armored unit crushing his friend beneath it. Terrified that his Force use might be detected, Dom crouched down, back braced against the trunk to use the strength of his legs. He envisioned rocking the trunk to dislodge it, only to crush Mo on his own. He paused. Sweat beaded across his brow. The dark presence of the Inquisitor loomed in the periphery. 

Dom realized that his only choice at this point was to trust the Veil. He quieted his thoughts and gently reached out with the Force to assess the trunk and what held it. Dom leveraged the minimum energy required to lift the trunk, but it did not move. Channeling the Force incrementally, Dom cringed as its use intensified. He continued to increase the flow until the trunk flew into the air, yanked by powerful telekinesis. He could sense a shift in the dark energy, as it mobilized quickly. Dom knew he had been detected.

Ignoring his panic, Dom held the trunk in the air while he scanned the pit its absence created. A mat of branches and leaves outlined Mo's form below, though Dom didn't remember placing Mo at that depth. Dom dropped the trunk beside him, placed a hand on the first aid kit, and slid into the crater. He scrambled to pull the camouflaging debris away from Mo's body. 

Mo was still. Dom had no idea if she was alive or dead. He fumbled through the kit and pulled out IV tubing and a catheter to setup the bacta pump. Dom rubbed sterilizing solution across the top of Mo's hand and started a peripheral line. Once the line was secured with tape, he activated the pump and strapped it to the top of her arm, nestled in her armpit. Mo did not respond. Dom increased the pump flow rate to its maximum setting. 

The Inquisitor's presence drew nearer, and Dom felt a shift in the dark energy to the north. There was no way he would be able to excavate Mo before he was discovered. He didn't dare risk any additional treatment. All he could do was hope that the pump delivered as much bacta into Mo's system as possible. Dom laid down beside Mo's cold body and rolled the trunk with the slightest use of the Force, allowing it to descend over them slowly. He pulled it down as tightly as he could for cover, the rough bark scraping his skin. The light disappeared. He had no idea if his actions would betray them or blend with the chaos of the landscape. Dom inhaled deeply to calm himself and felt the air grow thin. He shifted the trunk to allow a narrow gap to provide oxygen. He could see the sky above through the small slit, his field of vision reduced to the few centimeters its width provided. 

The dampness of the soil began to permeate his clothing. Altering the environment to warm his skin was no longer an option and he soon began to shiver. Mo remained still. It dawned on him that he would have to slow his own metabolism and destroy the tablet to avoid any chance of detection. He had never entered such a deep trance on his own. Dom waited as long as he could before powering down the bacta pump and settling into a trance. He hoped he would wake from it. 

*****

Minutes transitioned into hours. The sun sank and night fell. The surface above swarmed with storm troopers and Inquisitors. Bright lights cut through the darkness. What remained of the jungle was lit with the eerie shadows from landing lights and flybys. Teams of shock troopers ran in perfect formation, the impact of their boots radiating down through the soil profile.

There had been a clear disturbance in the Force, but they could not pinpoint its location. Nothing to report from the sensors.

More troops poured into the area to search the same pieces of land again and again. Inquisitors swept the landscape like trained bloodhounds, but the scent was fleeting. An escape pod was found miles from the source of the disturbance. Troopers stayed with it until dawn. No one came to claim it. 

Darth Vader's shuttle returned. The Alliance ship had left the system. An Inquisitor was strangled for her incompetence.  

_I thought you said there was no other way off the planet._

_We were wrong, my- my lord._

_And the ship?_

_We lost their ship once it made the jump to light speed._

Silence. The electric hum of a drawn lightsaber was followed by the thump of the Inquisitor's head as it left his shoulders. 

_The beacon you planted?_

_It still calls to me. We will find it again, my lord._

_You have one more chance._

*****

Unsure if it was the stillness or the light that ended his trance, Dom awoke with a gasp, his lungs drawing as much oxygen as they could from the narrow access point he had preserved. He felt pressure against his chest, pinned by the trunk. Listening for any sound of activity at the surface for what seemed like an eternity, he risked a bit of Force use to augment his hearing. The popping of small embers from torched trees and the rustle of leaves from insect legs were all he could detect. 

The darkness had lifted somewhat, its presence distant compared to before. Which was when, exactly? He had no idea how long he had been suspended. 

 _Mo._  

He reached out to his friend beside him. Her skin had warmed from his contact, but she offered no signs of life. 

Satisfied that they were alone, Dom reactivated the bacta pump and reached out with the Force. He blew the tree trunk out of the ground and threw it aside. The first few breaths were painful. Dom sat up slowly, careful not to place any weight on Mo. He scrambled out of the pit and lifted Mo out as gently as he could with the Force. In the light of day, her condition was worse than he feared. Though the bacta had started the process of regeneration, her forehead was marked by a huge laceration that had yet to close completely. Her broken leg was swollen and purple. Fortunately, she had placed her arms across her chest, protecting her core. 

Dom stripped the charred layers from several young trees beside them to fashion a crude splint for Mo's leg and a litter to carry her. She wouldn't be walking anytime soon, but he was nervous to transport her without first stabilizing her. Delayed care for such major injuries would inevitably come with complications. He wrapped her head and leg with bacta pads and sterimesh from the medkit to protect the most major wounds and fight any infection.  

Placing the trunk back in its trench, Dom covered their tracks. He lifted the litter with the Force and began the trip back to the escape pod with Mo in tow. He could only hope that Ahsoka understood his plan and was waiting for his signal to swoop in and get them out. 

*****

The communications array in the escape pod had been destroyed, but Dom was able to rig a weak signal to broadcast their location using an Alliance channel. Emergency beacon activated, Dom scavenged materials from the remaining pod medkits, grabbing a Roamer-6 breathing mask on his way out. He dropped back down to the jungle floor and sat beside Mo to check the pump and top up its bacta levels. Modifying the breathing mask to deliver a higher concentration of oxygen to support her lungs, Dom pulled the elastic band over Mo's head and secured the clear, soft plastic dome over her nose and mouth. He straightened the air hose and clipped the gas canister onto Mo's belt, uncertain that there was anything more that could be done in the field to stabilize his friend. Minutes later, two scout ships streaked overhead and he knew his beacon had been detected by the Empire.

 _Where is Ahsoka?!_  

Surely she hadn't left him. He'd been counting on her to follow him, never once factoring in the possibility that she would follow orders and wait for the Alliance. 

 _Come on, Ahsoka_ , Dom prayed as he boosted the pump's bacta rate. He hovered over Mo's limp form. 

Time passed. Mechanical grinding could be heard in the distance from the heavy legs of a tactical enforcer as it closed in on their position. Dom had never been a fan of Imperial tactical enforcers, he had remarked to Bernie whenever he could that the AT-TE moved like a fat swamp rat. He felt a flash of annoyance at dangerous absurdities in general. Faint vibrations under his feet indicated that it would be in gun range soon. What few trees remained exploded in the distance. Dom shifted Mo from the litter to his shoulders. He refused to leave her again. They were sitting ducks, but leaving their position risked losing any chance of rescue. Facing a tactical enforcer on foot, alone, and with only one hand was beyond absurd. Force deflection was something he had been practicing, but took years to master. Most Jedi Knights could barely deflect blaster fire without the aid of their lightsabers. Deflecting blasts from a mass driver cannon was suicide, but what other option did he have?

Using his free hand to yank his lightsaber from his belt, Dom activated its blue blade and closed his eyes to center himself for the onslaught. He swung the blade to loosen his arm. The head of the tactical enforcer appeared over the ragged canopy in the distance, the mass-driver cannon perched atop its back. Dom could picture the swarms of storm troopers in its belly and at its flanks. 

His imaginations were interrupted by an unfamiliar YV-series Corellian light cruiser that swooped overhead to lay down a line of fire at the Imperial troops and AT-TE. Dom watched it as if a spectator to the situation, his mind unable to grasp its significance until the thought occurred to him that they might actually be on his side. He might get out of this alive. Dom felt the winds of the ship's return and prepared himself and Mo. If this ship was here to rescue them, he'd need to get into it before they were incinerated.  As the freighter turned back towards them for a second pass, Dom looked up to see the AT-TE cannon aimed in his direction. He swung his lightsaber in broad strokes to create a shield, channeling the Force to hold the barrier between him and the inevitable blast.  

*****

Bernie waited for the boarding ramp to descend as the Eyre tore through the lower atmosphere just above the jungle canopy. The seconds the ramp took to drop were agonizing. Warning sirens wailed, the ship screaming at her to close the doors while in flight. She didn't know what to expect on the surface below.

Serena's team rushed through the Eyre's medical bay, prepping medsticks, beds, surgical droids, and a large, emergency bacta tank. Bernie glanced over her shoulder to catch Serena's gaze, knowing her own concern was as evident on her face as the sympathetic uncertainty Serena was trying to hide. Wind whipped through Bernie's hair, blocking her vision as the ramp dropped. Putrid air filled the bay. She could see Fletch open his mouth to say something about the smell, but couldn't hear much over the howl of the air around her. Turning her full attention to scan the ground below, she took in the scene.

The Alliance message had given Bernie a sense of the ambush scale, including the presence of an unknown number of Inquisitors and possible Sith Lord. Ahsoka had clearly relayed tactical details of the situation, but there was no mention of Dom's status. Everyone else had been included in the report, and the omission had Bernie on edge. She almost cried out when she saw him with Mo on the planet's surface, lightsaber swinging to face the oncoming Imperial assault alone.

The Eyre's armaments were modest, but she knew a well placed distraction could give her enough time to slow down that tactical enforcer. She had instructed the pilot to bring them in low to begin a series of breakneck passes. The gunners had permission to light up the ground as soon as they were beyond Dom and Mo. As much as she would have preferred to have the Kite at their immediate disposal, Ahsoka was diverting air forces on the other side of the planet. 

Their first pass had been little more than a slap at the armored vehicle, but it was clear that they had gotten the attention of the ground forces. Bernie braced herself against the ramp piston as she assessed the circumstances and planned her strike. The jump would need to be well timed to place her between the ground units and Dom. A quick glance up the corridor to the cockpit found Serena's dark eyes, confirming that they were ready for her signal. Serena relayed her small nod to the pilot. Bernie felt the Eyre bank hard and turn for it's second run. From the return angle, it was clear that the greatest threat was the mass-driver cannon trained on Dom's position. Bernie made a last minute decision to dive early, launching herself at the gunnery trooper perched on the cannon's controls atop the AT-TE. 

Bernie landed hard on the back of the tactical enforcer, fists closed, knuckles pounding the grey metal on either side of her right knee. Deep indentations like small craters were the only indication of the impact's force. Activating her lightsaber as she rose, Bernie threw the gunnery trooper from their seat with a Force Push before they could fire a shot at Dom. She turned quickly, her blade tracing a wide arc to disable the troopers that were swarming the vehicle's roof to challenge her. The AT-TE rocked as the Eyre destroyed the front left turret. Bernie turned to assess the cannon's long neck and closed her eyes briefly, right arm outstretched and palm wide. Metal groaned and screamed as the long cannon mimicked the movement of her arm via the Force. She bent her arm at the elbow in a bicep curl, and the cannon bent into a ninety degree angle. Closing her fist, she used the Force to crush the cannon's nose. The enforcer shook and troopers turned their heads towards its snapping sound. 

A second wave of storm troopers emerged from the hatch, and it was clear that she had their full attention. Blaster fire came from all directions. Though the command center was an easy jump from the mass-driver cannon, Bernie had decided to eviscerate the machine from the inside out. 

Spinning to parry the blaster fire from every angle, Bernie pushed trooper after trooper to the side with the Force, paying little attention as they scrambled to stay on the AT-TE's back or face the several story drop. The troopers stopped coming, and Bernie noted that those remaining were trying to close and secure the top hatch. Her anger screamed: Cowards! Her training replaced it with waves of compassion for the paths that must have led each trooper to this moment in time. She continued towards the hatch, yanking it with power that ripped the heavy metal door from its hinges. The unfortunate trooper that refused to let go flew through the air with the hatch lid. 

After a quick glance, Bernie dropped down the hatch opening into the tactical enforcer, coming eye to eye with a small squad of storm troopers. It was always hard to detect the expression of a trooper through the glassy black lenses of their signature helmets, but Bernie could sense the waves of fear that rippled through the Force. She deflected the desperate volley of blaster fire, red bolts boomeranging back from her purple blade. Several troopers dropped from the ricochets. The remaining few crouched defensively behind the transport seats.

Bernie allowed troopers that ran from her to evacuate, eliminating those who fought back. As she made her way forward, several security doors began to close. Jamming the doors with the rifle of a fallen trooper, Bernie thrust her blade into the metal of the primary door, carving a circle with the plasma of her lightsaber. She kicked the center of the small disc she had carved. It flew forward to form an opening, knocking several troopers down under its weight. Sparks flew as power conduits exploded from reckless fire. Stepping through the opening, Bernie proceeded forward towards the cockpit doors. She turned her head to observe the inner workings of the vehicle, pausing to crumple an engineering array and destroy a power coupling. She felt the vehicle lurch to a halt.

*****

Watching Bernie leap out of the Eyre, Serena felt her heart jump with the Jedi. She swallowed hard before turning to the pilot, "Make sure the third pass disables their laser turrets as the Maj-, General, instructed." Serena placed a hand on the shoulder of the pilot's seat, unable to sit. She craned her neck to see out the large windows, but they were past the fray, swinging wide before accelerating into their next pass.  

Serena realized she had become comfortable in the pretense of their roles on Coruscant, and felt surprisingly starstruck by Bernie's command in their current situation. The Jedi had deferred to her for weeks, but the moment tactical decisions arose to rescue fellow Jedi there could be no doubt that the team was in the presence of a powerful Master. Her instructions were as precise as her approach was aggressive, her deft rapport to rally the crew a sign of the seasoned veteran that she was. 

Had Serena been with anyone else, there was no way she would have allowed the Eyre to be used for first strikes and decoy passes. But, she trusted Bernie to make hard decisions such as those she felt she often had to make. 

"Senator," the pilot repeated. 

Serena snapped back to the present moment, her attention fixed on the tactical enforcer in the distance. 

"Senator, General Wolfe has gone into the enforcer, do we continue to fire on it?" 

"We follow the General's instructions. Target the laser turrets and then establish the perimeter for landing." She hesitated, "Take only the shots you know you can make on this pass." 

The pilot nodded. Serena said a silent prayer and forced herself not to second guess the decision. 

*****

The command center doors flew open, and Bernie created a Force Barrier to reflect the barrage from the enforcer's cockpit crew. The enforcer rocked as it was struck by heavy fire, presumably from the Eyre. Bernie was pleased that they had continued the assault. A blaster bolt from the pilot caught an exhaust hose above her head that spewed smoke as it writhed like an angry snake. Bernie directed the exhaust into the small cockpit. Red warning lights lit the interior as the primary and secondary systems began to fail. Bernie pushed into the cabin past the fallen crew and blew out one of the large cockpit windows to the open air. She surveyed the landscape to see that Dom had fallen back slightly as he parried waves of blaster fire. The Eyre had effectively suppressed the ground troops, creating a perimeter around Dom as she had instructed. 

Bernie sensed a disturbance in the Force, turning her head to see the bright red blades of two Inquisitors barreling towards Dom's position. The tactical enforcer groaned as it began to sway beneath her feet. Time to go, she thought before running to leap through the opening towards the Inquisitors. For as much havoc as she had caused, it appeared that the Inquisitors had not yet detected her through her veil. One Inquisitor looked up just seconds before Bernie's blade pierced his heart. The other spun, his blades catching Bernie's to slow her attack. Bernie felt several attempts from the Inquisitor to leverage the Force. It felt as though his movements were on a time delay, easy to anticipate and counter. Bernie began to see subtle threads of light streak towards the Inquisitor's left knee. She aimed a kick to it, and the Inquisitor screamed as he dropped to one knee. The threads pointed to his head, where she placed the second kick. The Inquisitor fell forward face first. 

The Eyre streaked across the sky overhead in its final pass. She would have to clear a landing area quickly. Racing towards Dom, Bernie heard a series of pops. The tactical enforcer's power relays had overheated, and the unit was going to explode. 

"Dom!" she cried out, "Brace yourself!" As her padawan's gaze turned, Bernie saw the explosion behind her in the reflection of his eyes. She established a small barrier around him and Mo, but the shockwave was severe. They flew forward. Bernie rode the wave, somersaulting as she landed and then rolling to her feet. She was the only one standing. The Eyre settled several hundred meters in the blast clearing as she raced to Dom and Mo. 

*****

Dom’s ears rang, thoroughly rattled as he lay flat on his back. Had he hit his head? Why was he on the ground? Mo’s collapsed form was in a pile beside him, he thought he could see the bone of her left leg through the skin now. His stomach flipped and he reached out to try and sense her with the Force. Nothing. He heard what he thought must be the familiar whine of engines in the distance, though he didn’t trust his ears through the ringing. Wait, hadn't there been a ship? His vision blurred, and suddenly, he saw two forms standing above him, perfect twins. 

"Bernie, you never mentioned you had a sister," Dom slurred.


	24. Touch and Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Serena's turn to dazzle Bernie. Fingers crossed for Mo and Dom!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one goes out to niebieskiberet, whose comments about Jedi celibacy seeded Bernie's reflections in this chapter. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read, look forward to your thoughts and feedback!

Serena directed three surgical droids to prepare the Eyre's theater, casting a worried glance to Bernie. None of her instruments detected a pulse for Mo. The console prompted her for instruction, including the option to log a time of death. To medical scanners and the untrained eye, a Jedi healing trance could be easily confused for death. Powerful Jedi were able to slow their metabolism and pulse below detectable levels, which allowed them to dedicate their energy to healing. Serena had even heard the odd story in Jedi folklore of the unlucky Master who had woken up during his own funeral.

Triage protocols placed Mo at the top of her list, though Dom’s head injury was worrisome. Delayed treatment of the compound fracture to Mo’s leg meant risk of pulmonary side effects, not to mention the serious vascular damage that Serena hoped she would be able to repair once they resuscitated Mo. Already, the swelling and color of the leg were sufficient to warrant possible amputation.

“Tell me what to do,” Bernie said. Serena’s team moved efficiently around them, and she knew Dom would be properly stabilized until she could see to his injuries. Two of the droids were running intravenous drips for each patient and the third droid had initiated secondary scans and x-rays for Mo. 

Serena gestured to the end of the medical bay, “Warm blankets and sterile padding. We need to raise their temperatures gradually and allow the shock to subside." Serena looked down to her battered patient and placed a hand softly on the Jedi’s shoulder, “Mo, it’s going to be alright, we’ve got you."

Serena removed the gauntlets and Force Veil from Mo’s arms, and immediately reached out with the Force to assess Mo’s condition. She had encountered several unconscious Jedi in healing trances over the years, and no two experiences had been the same. Each user blended different aspects of the Force to their abilities; the rates and extent of healing were always different. As such, predicting when a Jedi would return to consciousness was like trying to assess when a new specie of caterpillar would emerge from its chrysalis. Serena had trained other healers using this analogy, for it also applied to the dangers of trying to help a Jedi in this state. Just as a butterfly’s strength was gained emerging from its cocoon, a Jedi’s healing hinged on their ability to come out of the trance on their own.  

While she knew better than to interact with Mo’s Force use, Serena was well aware that she needed to stabilize her patient quickly, which included debriding the leg and setting the femur before submersing Mo in bacta solution. Though the compound fracture was not the worst she had seen, Serena wasn’t sure how treatment would affect Mo in this state.

Serena spoke again as she gently removed the field splint, her tone laced with authority, “Mo, I need you to come back to us, I can take it from here.”

She saw Dom stir out of the corner of her eye as Bernie returned with a stack of blankets. Affording a tight smile to Bernie, she gestured to the nurse at her side who placed two across Mo with care, avoiding the bone that protruded from the leg.

Serena instructed Bernie, “Remove his veil and make sure he doesn’t move. We haven’t cleared his neck yet, and he seems to have a nasty blow to the head."   

Bernie took the remaining blankets to Dom’s bed, draping them across his body. Serena could sense Dom's presence as Bernie removed his veil. He was far weaker than Serena had hoped. A quick glance saw Bernie standing beside him with a hand on his arm as the Jedi administered a dose of bacta to her Padawan. Much as Serena’s emotions pulled her to prioritize Dom for Bernie’s sake, Mo’s injuries required her attention. She overheard Bernie speaking softly to Dom in reassuring tones and could feel Bernie's use of the Force to assess his condition and begin healing.

Fletch handed her a tablet with Mo’s scans. The x-ray revealed small fractures to the bones extending through the hip. Whatever blunt force had caused such trauma, it had also destroyed the tissue as though Mo had been struck by lightning. Serena sensed Mo’s presence begin to shift as she ordered the surgical droids to perform an echocardiogram. If Mo had been hit by a blast as powerful as lightning, there was also possible damage to the heart. 

"Fletch, I'm going to need that bacta tank up and running as soon as possible.” He gave her a quick nod before heading towards the large, cylindrical emergency tank that was still filling. 

She heard Bernie call for her. 

The monitors lit up as Mo's pulse returned to detectable levels, and Serena breathed a sigh of relief that they had caught a break. She keyed in the authorization codes to begin printing the plates, rods, and screws she would need to stabilize the leg internally. 

"That's it Mo, come back to us. I need you with me to take care of this leg." 

Serena prepped a series of medsticks to manage for pain and possible infection, getting the attention of her nurse. "Administer these as soon as you hear her breathing again, but not a moment before." 

"Serena," Bernie called again. 

Stepping away from Mo, Serena joined Bernie at Dom's bedside placing a hand on the Jedi Master's back. Bernie opened her eyes, and Serena saw the fear in them immediately. She closed her eyes and reached out to Dom. 

"Damn," she cursed. A small bleed had formed in Dom's brain and he had lost consciousness. She couldn't detect any significant pressure yet. She placed her hand on Dom's temple and raised each eyelid with her thumb to confirm that neither pupil had blown. It could be worse, she told herself. 

It had been worse, after all. She knew what worse felt like firsthand. Worse felt like the wind knocked from your lungs by a sledgehammer to the chest as you were drowning. When Elinor's life ended, Serena's connection with the Force ruptured. Though her connection returned eventually, everything felt muted and distant like the deafness that occurs after an explosion.    

Caught in this unexpected memory, Serena remembered distinctly how nervous the student sounded as his voice broke the awkward silence of the classroom. She had stopped teaching suddenly, failing to respond when a brave second-year asked her if she was alright. Serena cancelled class by simply leaving, racing from the Healing Arts Building to the Trauma Unit across the campus of Aldera's Universal Medcenter. The call came through to her comm unit as she arrived at the nurses' station. A wide-eyed nurse placed their comm down slowly, unsure why the intended recipient knew to arrive before she had even been called. They must have been new. It should have come as no shock that Serena Campbell would know that something had happened to her only daughter. A colleague approached her with an expression Serena knew all too well. She cried out, crumpling to the floor in front of the desk. 

Leaving a hand on Dom's forehead, Serena resolved that she would protect him from Elinor's fate. She reached out again with the Force. The bacta appeared to be mitigating the bleed, but it was clear that it would not be enough. Serena activated the remaining two surgical droids to prep the second surgical table. 

"Fletch!" she called out. He was the best suited member of her team to improvise a backup bacta tank. She would have to stabilize Dom before treating Mo's leg.  

Taking Bernie aside, she placed a hand on the Jedi's arm and spoke in low tones, "We need to get to a hub as soon as possible. I'm not sure we have the power to sustain two emergency bacta tanks for long." 

Bernie's eyes darted back and forth, searching Serena's face for comfort or information, Serena couldn't be sure. 

"Serena, what are you saying?" 

"I'm concerned about the subdural pressure building in Dom's brain and his body's response to that pressure. I would like to stop the bleed before submerging him in a bacta tank to help him heal."

Bernie's mouth opened slightly, but no words came out. Her dark eyes pooled with fear as the implications of Serena's words sunk in. Serena's stomach dropped as she fought back her brain's desire to replay again and again what the moment felt like when the bottom fell out of her life.

Serena's mind settled into the memories regardless of her intentions, found like the rut of a worry stone conditioned by an anxious thumb. Once again, she was in a private room with colleagues who were unwilling to make eye contact, their weight shifting over silent shoes on polished floors. A cleared throat and a cough preceded their report that Elinor had been admitted after an accident. Blood tests confirmed that Elinor had piloted the shuttle while intoxicated. 'She must have hit her head' was followed by reiterations that there was nothing to be done, that it was only a matter of time. They thought it would be a comfort to omit details, but this only fostered mistrust. Demanding 'every scrap of information', Serena burnt a few bridges in her rage. She knew it had been a stressful year for her daughter at university, but the evidence of drug use came as a shock. Part of her denied it. She made them walk her through everything until even the most patient colleagues grew tired. Safety protocols had been in place on the shuttle. The emergency team documented that she had seemed fine at first. Elinor had assured a junior healer that she was fine. They missed the head lack, it was subtle. These things happened. They happened rarely, but they happened. 

Serena forced herself to take a few deep breaths and anchor herself in the present moment, pushing the memories and the anger they evoked aside. She wanted nothing more than to pull the Jedi Master towards her, to hold Bernie the way she wished she could have been held all those years ago. Instead, Serena gave herself permission to extend a small squeeze to Bernie's shoulder and a sympathetic smile, holding Bernie's gaze for a moment before redirecting her energy to focus on her patients.  

Serena called to a nurse, "Run a CT to confirm the extent of the bleed and check for clots. Prep propofol for our young hero and display Mo's echocardiogram." She looked back at Bernie, "Get us to a hub, General."

Whether triggered by Serena's use of rank or Bernie's own resolve, the Jedi composed herself and gave Serena a nod, "Call me if you need any assistance or support." She placed a parting hand on Dom's shoulder before she turned towards the cockpit to communicate with the Alliance and reroute emergency power. Serena took a deep breath and continued issuing instructions. It was going to be a long night.  

*****

Serena found Bernie asleep, propped up against a console beside the permanent tanks in the Alliance medbay. Mo and Dom floated in the healing suspension as it bubbled around them, their forms illuminated by blue lights, faces hidden behind large breathing masks. A medical droid whirred and clicked as it continued its work around Bernie, monitoring patient vitals and bacta levels.Placing a hand on the Jedi’s shoulder to wake her, Serena said, “Bernie” softly until the Jedi stirred.

Bernie inhaled deeply and looked up at Serena with a sleepy smile. Serena offered the tea she had brought for the Jedi. 

“Thank you,” Bernie said, accepting the mug as she straightened her back. She winced, “Any news?”

Serena dismissed the droid, having studied its reports before walking over.

“Nothing new. Mo and Dom are both stable and appear to be healing well. I hope to move them from the bacta tanks to bed rest in the next twelve hours. We’ll wake Dom at that time.”

Bernie nodded and held the mug with both hands to her mouth, blowing against the rising steam before taking tentative sips. She took a deep breath and yawned. Serena paused before continuing, “You asked the crew to wake you when Ahsoka arrived. The Kite is docking now.”

Bernie blinked a few times and took another sip of tea. “Good," she said before yawning again and placing the mug beside her. "Were you able to sleep at all?" she asked. 

Serena tilted her head in surprise, having anticipated that Bernie would jump towards the Kite first thing. 

"Well enough," Serena lied. She took the unexpected moment of calm to drop to one knee and lean forward, brushing blonde hair back from the Jedi’s forehead to assess the bandage that covered a burn. “I’d like to check on that when you’re done with Ahsoka.”

Bernie looked up at her, but said nothing. Serena let her fingers linger against the Jedi’s face, as her eyes held Bernie’s. Memories of Ambria sent a small shiver through her. 

Bernie surprised her by placing a hand over hers, "Thank you, Serena." Serena pulled back. Bernie kept hold of her hand and continued, "Each day carries with it so much risk, I know we've been lucky to make it this far... But the prospect of losing Dom today felt... different... unbearable. You saved him. Thank you." 

Serena worked up the nerve to meet the Jedi's eyes again and smiled, squeezing Bernie's hand, "That's what love is, I suppose, bearing the unbearable."  

Resisting the desire to stay tethered to Bernie, Serena dropped the Jedi's hand and stood. She wanted to change the subject before either her memories of Elinor or feelings for Bernie bubbled to the surface again. Dear gods, she wanted to share so much with Bernie. Serena cleared her throat.

"As I recall, you had a _small_ part to play in making sure our patients made it off the planet in one piece. I half expected you to get out and push the Eyre that last parsec to the hub. Not to mention the fact that you threw yourself onto an AT-TE without a second thought. Do you make it a habit to jump out of ships midair?" 

Bernie laughed, twisting to find a spot on the console she could use to push herself up and groaning a bit as she placed a hand on her back. Serena unconsciously offered a hand before she could think better of it, which the Jedi accepted. As Bernie stood, the distance between them closed quickly, their faces agonizingly close before either could recognize what was happening. Serena's brain registered the soft smell of soap that mingled with Bernie's scent and the soft edge of the fresh tunic the Jedi wore. Neither woman moved. 

"Seems that the impact of a wild leap is harder to shake off these days," Bernie said, her voice low. Serena searched Bernie's eyes, looking for any cue that would give her permission to cross the thin line she walked. What she hadn't counted on was the longing she saw reflected back at her. Swept up in the Jedi's gaze and her own surprise, Serena didn't sense Fletch until moments before he arrived. 

Taking a quick step back, Serena dropped Bernie's arm and tugged at the high necked collar she wore. Bernie grabbed the pack she had slung on the console hours before and stretched her back. Tossing the pack across her shoulders, Bernie combed fingers through tangled locks to tame them somewhat. Serena straightened the sleeveless waistcoat she wore, shoving her hands into its large pockets.

Fletch turned the corner and hesitated, the uncertainty in his expression made it clear that he had picked up on some aspect of the moment's intimacy. It may have also been their complete failure to act naturally.

"Senator, General," he started with a nod to Bernie. It appeared that Serena wasn't the only one who had been impressed by the Jedi Master's ability to level an AT-TE from the inside out. 

"We've received word that the Kite has finished docking. The Fulcrum is requesting confirmation that the General plans to board."

"On our way now, Mr. Fletcher," Bernie said, gesturing for Serena to lead the way. Each woman conspicuously avoided eye contact.  

Serena gave a stiff smile to Fletch and a glance towards her patients in the bacta tanks, Bernie's presence looming in her periphery. She wondered what the Jedi was thinking, her own brain still rebooting. 

*****

Bernie followed Serena through the network of hub corridors, her eyes adjusting to the light as they headed to the docking bay. Fletch had stayed in the medbay to prepare for Mo and Dom's extraction, much to Bernie's relief. Though she liked Fletch, her brain would have struggled to make small talk. Unsure of what had just happened with Serena, it was clear that there was no longer any value in denying or resisting what she was feeling for the senator. Bernie's desire intensified with each passing day regardless of her intentions. She had been spending time using traditional meditative practices of non-attachment ever since Ambria. None of the techniques Bernie had come to rely upon seemed to have any lasting effect. It had been years since she had felt a pull to another that was this strong. 

During the Clone Wars, it had been necessary to spend time meditating on the relationships with those serving in the squadrons and field corps she commanded. The constant doses of adrenaline and loss could forge permanent bonds between soldiers, precisely the types of loyalties Jedi were trained to avoid. However, those relationships paled in comparison to the strands of possession that could emerge when sexual chemistry was woven with deep personal connection. Romantic entanglements were often tied to the emotions at the heart of light and darkness. The only relationships as treacherous were those between a parent and child. The potential risks of complicated family relationships were the basis for the modern Jedi Code and the rules that had developed around it, specifically celibacy. Bernie recited the Code in her head: 

_There is no emotion, there is peace._  
_There is no ignorance, there is knowledge._  
_There is no passion, there is serenity._  
_There is no chaos, there is harmony._  
_There is no death, there is the Force._

Certainly, some of the most pious Masters made religious arguments about the elevation of the Force in a Jedi's life to the exclusion of all other matters. It had led to a dogmatic understanding of the Code that Bernie detested. From a pragmatic perspective, regulating impulses of Force-sensitive adolescents was the safest course. Presenting complex relationships and ideas within binary structures created clear boundaries. Light was good, sex was bad. The thinking behind celibacy was often tied to cultivating willpower as a means of controlling compulsive behaviors. But Bernie believed that the imposed binaries created later obstacles to understanding the Force that could be difficult to overcome. If sex was condemned, the bonds of intimacy were taboo and easier to objectify. But isolation was not peace, and serenity was not strictly the absence of passion. These misconceptions could be problematic as Jedi pursued deeper self-knowledge. 

For most species and genders, a Jedi entered sexual maturity at a time when an individual's mastery of the Force was out of sync with their ability to weigh consequences, making them a threat to themselves and others. Celibacy as the standard seemed logical, and impatient elders whose libidos were muted could tout it as a means of redirecting energy to following the light. But recent history indicated that strict celibacy requirements were no guarantee that paths to the Dark Side would be averted. To the contrary, overwhelming evidence suggested that imposed celibacy might fuel the extreme outcomes they sought to eliminate. Bernie had often wondered if Obi Wan could have mentored Anakin had he understood the intensity of his Padawan's feelings for Padme. If Anakin's deepest yearnings had been embraced by his mentor and the Order, would Darth Sidious have been able to corrupt Jedi Skywalker?   
Bernie remembered the power of such feelings as a young Padawan. Just as Dom would prod her, she had asked Master Windu countless questions to try and navigate invisible boundaries that were wildly different from being to being. To be fair, Dom seemed infinitely wiser on the subject than she had been at his age. It was a time when many Padawan often sought clarity from imposed rules instead of looking within themselves. She had been no different. In hindsight, looking within was the only place she had found reliable answers. While meditation and physical training could often address the physical desires of surging hormones, there were few things that could truly offset the longing to connect with another being, or beings for that matter. To deny such feelings seemed as dangerous as their pursuit. 

It had seemed counter-intuitive at first, but contrary to the Order's written history of evolution, Bernie was of a mind that the ancient Jedi were a more holistic group than the recently destroyed Order. From what she had read, ancient practices focused on bringing consciousness to one's actions. Nothing was prohibited; however, those who chose to attain balance within the Force were encouraged to let go of compulsive behavior, which could include sexual impulses. She couldn't take credit for this transition in her thinking though. Had she never met Alex, she may have persisted within the Order's rigid structure well beyond its useful purpose. 

Finding evidence of Jedi romance had become a guilty pleasure for them in between missions for the Order. It had started with a simple scavenger hunt during their second assignment together, the very first romantic gesture Alex had contrived to get her attention and communicate an encrypted set of coordinates under the noses of the High Council. The memories of subsequent gestures could still elicit a blush from Bernie; small notes in Alex's hand with illicit clues drawing Bernie further down a new path. Over the years, they found holocrons across ancient libraries describing powerful unions of Force-sensitive beings who seemed to possess radical self-awareness. Such stories were often paralleled by asexual Jedi who had no externally-imposed requirements of celibacy, but felt no impulse to connect sexually with other beings. Bernie believed now that the growth of the individual to follow their own path was a key to understanding the nature of the Force. For this reason, Bernie preferred the simpler, less prohibitive, version of the Code taught to younglings: 

_Emotion, yet peace._  
_Ignorance, yet knowledge._  
_Passion, yet serenity._  
_Chaos, yet harmony._  
_Death, yet the Force._

Bernie increasingly felt that resisting one's path in order to accommodate imposed rules was as much of an invitation to personal destruction as it was to mindlessly pursue physical impulses. Jedi that followed their instincts with the intention for compassion, whether for others or themselves, seemed most in tune with the Force. While the feelings evoked by lovers and spouses could lead to jealousy, possession, and attachment, the gifts of light they offered were equally powerful. Bernie often wondered about the daily experiences of light children provided and the constant practice of loving kindness their care elicited. Alex had tried to convince her that they could experience such a life together. Bernie had wanted to believe her. As often as she had rejected the instructions of the Order, she hadn't been ready to throw off its mantle completely. By the time Bernie had been ready to embrace this new paradigm, it was too late to do it with Alex.    
Since then, she had opened herself to the balance that embraced both light and dark, which was what Mace had tried to teach her all along. Skywalker's betrayal and the destruction of the Jedi Order had given her new perspective. It had taken her decades to see it. Watching Dom wrestle with it now only confirmed that she had been a slow learner. Bernie occasionally wondered if the philosophies she embraced were simply a means to rationalize away her own decisions. Her choice to pursue Alex meant that she had broken her vow. But then she tried to envision an alternate existence in which she had never embraced the messy complexities of the nature of the Force, and the impossibility of such a scenario served to reinforce her decisions. 

And now, her path had collided with Serena's. Bernie wondered if she was capable of discerning the difference between desire and intention in the midst of a galaxy gone mad. Paths to the Dark Side stretched across the Force with increasing frequency, which only emphasized the importance of caution in her mind. As Bernie reflected on the persistent darkness of their time, she felt a tug. Snapped back to the present moment, Bernie opened her mind and reached out gently with the Force. Another tug directed her gaze to the docking bay ahead, ending any reflections on what might be with the senator. It was time to do her job.    

*****

Narrow bands of darkness were immediately apparent to Bernie as soon as she set foot on the Kite. Though the Sith beacon was expertly disguised, Bernie sensed that the crystals in Mace’s lightsaber had shifted their own vibrations to expose the signal. All her senses awakened, Bernie lengthened her stride and broke into a run. They would need to warn Alliance command and get as far away from the hub as possible. She felt Serena quicken her pace to keep up and knew the senator had detected the shift in her demeanor before hearing her ask, “Bernie, what is it?”

Bernie ran to the nearest communications panel, keying in access codes for central command.

“Admiral Krane, our location is no longer secure. You will need to move the mobile hub immediately. I will request future coordinates using encryption channel alpha blue lambda only.”

She nodded as the Admiral’s voice crackled confirmation, turning to Serena.

“The Kite is being tracked.” 

Emergency alarms could be heard down the corridor through the airlock.  

“I need you to get back to the hub, Senator. We will need to run a diversion with the Kite and I’d rather you were with Dom and … “ Bernie’s voice trailed off, it appeared that Serena hadn’t heard a word she had said. The woman’s gaze was distant, her head tilted as though she were straining to hear something.

“Serena?”

“Do you hear that, Bernie?”  

Bernie paused for a moment, catching the sarcastic remark before it left her mouth. Surely the senator knew the emergency alarms were impossible to miss. Could Serena sense the beacon, or something else entirely?

“What do you hear?” Bernie's voice pressed Serena with urgency, but the senator simply raised an index finger. 

“A song?" Serena said, turning to Bernie as if hearing her for the first time, "How do you know that we’re being tracked?”

“No time to explain," Bernie said, changing her plan on the spot, “Let’s get the Kite out of here.” Serena nodded, and Bernie could see her eyes come into better focus. 

Bernie raced to the cockpit, Serena on her heels. A startled young man sat in the co-pilot's seat, turning quickly as they arrived. Bernie slid into the seat beside him, reached over to flip several switches in front of him to release the docking clamps. 

"Who are you?" he demanded. 

Ignoring the young man, Serena teased Bernie, "You let pilots command your ship without even knowing what you look like?"   

The young man's gaze shot from Serena to Bernie, eyeing the General with surprise and awe, clearly not knowing the proper protocol for the moment, if there was one. He bowed his head in respect and stuttered out, "M-Master Wolfe?" He paused, "M-My name is Nym Felh of the Maran, Master Wolfe."

"Lovely to meet you," Bernie replied, continuing the launch. She gestured to Serena with a tilt of her head, "And this is the Senator of Alderaan." 

"Pleasure," Serena said as she plucked the headset from Nym's head before he could close his mouth. Their informality stoppered any protests that welled within him. Serena leaned across Bernie to activate the comm. Bernie savored the moment of contact as she initiated the emergency launch sequence. The Kite shook slightly. 

"This is the Red Kite, requesting emergency launch protocol per General Wolfe's authorization," Serena called as she held the microphone to her lips. Bernie felt the warmth of the senator's breath over her shoulder as Serena leaned forward, tethered by the headset. Finally taking his cue, Nym slid quietly from his chair to stand near the cockpit doorway as Serena took the co-pilot's seat. Bernie missed Serena's physical contact immediately.

Serena nodded to relay the hub's acknowledgment. Bernie pulled the Kite back from the dock in one smooth arc, turning the Kite as quickly as she could. 

Ahsoka burst into the cockpit, plowing into Nym, "What's going on?" Her eyes widened as she took in the scene, "Master Wolfe?" 

Bernie threw a headset on and checked the distance between the Kite and the Alliance hub. Serena had started the necessary calculations. Bernie glanced over her shoulder to Nym and Ahsoka in the doorway, "You're going to want to hold on to something." She pulled the throttle back and the Kite jumped forward. She heard Ahsoka catch Nym as he stumbled. _He'll need to learn to listen_ , Bernie thought. When they were a sufficient distance from the hub, Bernie glanced at Serena, who nodded with a small smile. She punched the console and felt the familiar lift in her stomach that accompanied the jump to hyperspace. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The more I delve into the Star Wars Universe to make sure this story is consistent with its rules, the more I realize how derivative work can be. I'm leaving this note here to let you know that there are a few parallels in Star Wars lore that I've discovered as recently as today and this past week (i.e. after watching The Last Jedi) that I didn't realize existed in the arcs of this work when drafting this (and future) chapter(s). Rather than worry too much about the fact that there's creative overlap, I'm continuing on with what I'd drafted before knowing how similar some of the ideas are. I'll give full references to the lore as we move further along because at this moment they are like River Song's hair: full of spoilers (said in my best Alex Kingston voice).


	25. When Doves Cry Wolfe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time! Had to celebrate Bernie's return to Holby with another chapter. Cheers!

Placing a hand to brace herself in the doorway, Ahsoka caught Nym and helped him regain his balance. She closed her eyes briefly to center herself and focus on the most important questions as they flooded her thoughts. This gave her a moment to pause and decide whether or not she had just hallucinated. As the Kite made its jump to lightspeed, a hazy halo had enveloped Master Wolfe and the woman beside her as if they were in a bubble of light. When Ahsoka opened her eyes, the halo was gone. She reached out with the Force, only to realize that both women must be veiled, for she sensed nothing. Master Wolfe and the woman turned the cockpit chairs to face her. The woman’s polite smile contrasted Master Wolfe’s furrowed brow. The woman wore the waistcoat of an Alliance healer and a crystal necklace that looked like the smaller shards embedded in the veils. She carried herself with a sense of authority. It dawned on Ahsoka that this must be the senator Don had mentioned.

“Master Wolfe,” Ahsoka began.

The Jedi Master cut her off, “Are you aware that there is a Sith beacon aboard this ship?”

Shock was quickly replaced with dawning realization as Ahsoka took in the simple explanation. It made so much sense. “That makes sense. Master Wolfe, can we speak alone?”

“And were you aware that Padawan Copeland was unassisted on the planet’s surface for several days?”

“If we could speak alone, Master Wolfe.”

“Or that the delay in assistance jeopardized both Dom and Jedi Effanga’s lives?”

Ahoska shifted her weight, reminding herself that she had left the scrutiny of the Jedi well before the High Council was obliterated. Her decisions were her own, but this mess was not solely hers to clean. She had been somewhat nervous to meet Master Wolfe even before she had left the woman's Padawan for dead. Ahsoka could hear the edge of anger as it rose in the Jedi’s voice. It reminded her of her own master’s reactions, the way Anakin’s energy would intensify whenever she had been in danger. As much as she wanted to openly answer Master Wolfe’s questions and break the tension, her orders from Master Hanssen were clear: she was to discuss her findings with Master Wolfe alone. And how did Master Wolfe know about a beacon? The presence of dark energy she had sensed was to be disclosed to Master Wolfe in person only. Had Master Wolfe somehow communicated with Dom before he became unconscious? The communique stated that he had arrived at the Alliance hub in a coma. 

The senator placed a hand on Master Wolfe’s forearm, offering Ahsoka a small smile before asking, “Tea, anyone?”  

Ahsoka broke eye contact with Master Wolfe as the point of contact between the senator and the Jedi Master glowed. She glanced back to see that Master Wolfe's eyes had not left her face. Silence filled the cockpit again until Nym replied, “The teapot is broken.”

The senator stood and walked the several steps required to get to the doorway. She threaded an arm through Nym’s and pulled him with her, "Ah, a bit of DIY. I do love a puzzle. You’ll help me find the polymer?”

Nym could only open his mouth and shut it again as the senator led them down the corridor to the mess lounge.

Ahsoka saw Nym look back towards her. She offered him a small, reassuring nod. As uncertain as she was by what would happen next, she was grateful to finally be alone in Master Wolfe’s presence. The fact that she couldn’t read the Jedi was problematic, but Master Hanssen had explicitly stated that Master Wolfe was to be trusted without fail.

Ahsoka moved towards the console and glanced at their intended destination. The calculated jump would place them in the Outer Rim, far from Alliance hubs and Sith Space. Master Wolfe was clearly getting the Kite to a place where it would not endanger their allies. 

Master Wolfe stood and turned to Ahsoka, "Whatever it is that you need to say, it can be said as we find the beacon." She paused inches away from Ahsoka, her voice lowered. 

"I trusted his safety to you, Ahsoka." 

"Master," Ahsoka started, but thought better of it. If Anakin could only see her restraint now. "You did, Master Wolfe." 

Master Wolfe surprised Ahsoka by placing a hand on her shoulder, the elder Jedi's gaze softening. 

"I found an impressive piece of shaped pontite in Dom's possessions that resonates with his energy. It would appear that there was important growth during your time together." 

Before Ahsoka could reply, Master Wolfe dropped her hand and stepped into the corridor towards Dom's cabin. Ahsoka spun to follow, glancing into the mess lounge as she passed. Nym looked up, sitting miserably over the teapot shards with a tube of polymer while Sahn and the senator appeared immersed in conversation.  

At the end of the corridor, Master Wolfe made a sharp left turn. Ahsoka caught up as the Jedi keyed in an override code to Dom's cabin. Master Wolfe hesitated briefly before taking a step into her Padawan's quarters. Ahsoka reached out with the Force in an attempt to sense what was so clear to the Jedi Master. She had only noticed the dark vibrations once, the day they had tracked down the drop locker. In hindsight, Dom had seemed agitated at the time. Remembering the nightmares that came after her own trials, Ahsoka had chalked up the darkness to the stress of Dom's vision on Ossus. She had gone back and forth in her mind about whether or not to mention the incident in her log to Master Hanssen. Any concerns about Dom's connection to the darkness had evaporated later that evening as they opened up to each other over tea and chocolate. The following morning, she left it out of her transmission. She knew firsthand the irreversible damage of a false accusation.

Master Hanssen had been less than thrilled to discover her omission. She could still picture the displeasure on his face in yesterday's holotransmission when she revealed to him her decision to give Dom the benefit of the doubt. While it was unlikely that such detail would have prevented the ambush at Gath Mar, it now corroborated the evidence that Dom had betrayed the Alliance in service of the Sith. Ahsoka still refused to accept this claim. She felt as though she had been given the chance to see Dom for who he really was, and the Dom she was getting to know was kind, loyal, and sincere. Yet, there were only three people in the galaxy who knew their exact plans. Ahsoka knew that she had not betrayed their mission. If Hanssen was compromised, they were all lost. That left Dom. As much as Ahsoka wanted to rush to his defense, it appeared that there was simply no evidence to exonerate him. Now, the presence of a Sith beacon offered as much condemnation as hope. Was it his? Had he sold them out to the Empire? Was it planted on him?  

Dom had shared with her his nervousness about a future without the Jedi Order. She sympathized with his feelings of isolation, and the anxiety that came with constant evasion of an ongoing threat. Could the Sith have lured Dom to their cause with the fragments of familiarity found in the ranks of the Inquisitors? It was impossible for Ahsoka to believe that Dom would betray Master Wolfe's confidence. Yet, it was hard to predict how anyone would respond in trying times. She could tell it had bothered Dom to learn that the High Council had expelled her from the Order years ago only to later retract its sentence. She had avoided telling him that it was Master Windu who handed down her sentence of sedition against the Order with little evidence. Ahsoka tried not to dwell on how willing the Order was to turn on her. She had trusted those Jedi, thought that she had known them too. 

 Ahsoka watched Master Wolfe rifle through the cubbies of Dom's rack, pulling a smoky grey crystal out of a drawer with thumb and index finger as if she were holding a scorpion by the tail. Ahsoka's eyes widened, "Is that the beacon?"

"Yes. Let your crystals disrupt the wave frequencies of the beacon's shield. They will help you to sense it," Master Wolfe replied. 

Ahsoka focused her attention on the crystals in her lightsabers as she had done during the construction of her blades. Their presence was immediately comforting, as if she had settled into conversation with old friends. As soon as they found a balanced exchange, Ahsoka opened her mind to the full song of her crystals. The characteristic harmonization of the crystals' duet shifted frequencies to cancel the waves emitted to mask Dom's dark crystal. The signal from the Sith beacon became immediately apparent. 

"How did you know?" Ahsoka said. 

"I have been meditating with the crystals within Master Windu's lightsaber since it came to be with me. It contains tuning crystals, which blocked the wave shields of the beacon to expose it the moment we approached the ship. I can only presume that the single crystal in Dom's lightsaber was unable to do this on its own." 

"The crystals in my blades are autonomous, but they sing with one voice. They never would have revealed the beacon without my intention," Ahsoka processed aloud. It became apparent that there was no way they would have been able to discover the beacon without Master Wolfe. 

Master Wolfe nodded, "A good assessment. Do you have any thoughts on the beacon's disposal?"

Ahsoka paused, sifting through her feelings. Master Wolfe did not appear to be talking down to her, or challenging her to answer a question for which the answer was known. It seemed that she had been sincerely invited to collaborate on their next steps. Nonetheless, she decided to proceed with caution.

"Now that we have discovered the beacon's existence, it serves as much as an opportunity as a it does a threat." 

Master Wolfe nodded, so Ahsoka continued, "If its owners are unaware of our advantage, we can use it to expose them." 

"Agreed," Master Wolfe replied, grabbing a piece of cloth from the bedside stand. She wrapped the crystal with the cloth and held it out to Ahsoka. "Do you have any idea how this came to be in Dom's possession?" 

Ahsoka accepted the wrapped crystal and let out the bit of air she'd been holding in her lungs since their conversation had started. They had acknowledged the elephant in the room, though she was loathe to discuss it any further. 

"I do not, Master Wolfe, nor do I have any evidence that supports or denies Dom's role in the Gath Mar ambush." 

"His role?" The edge returned to Master Wolfe's tone. "Surely you don't believe that Dom had anything to do with the beacon's presence?" 

Ahsoka paused, considering her next words carefully, "I do not believe that Dom would betray us. However, I have not been able to present Master Hanssen with sufficient evidence to clear Dom from suspicion. For this reason, I was ordered to disengage from Gath Mar." The Jedi Master's expression darkened as Ahsoka continued, "Master, I did not choose to abandon Dom. I followed Master Hanssen's explicit instructions to avoid any additional losses."

Master Wolfe's eyes narrowed, "And did Master Hanssen present any conclusive evidence to cast doubt on Dom's integrity?" 

Ahsoka's courage faltered momentarily, she had doubted her decision to follow Hanssen's orders. Had she been on her own, she may have ignored them altogether, but the presence of two Force-sensitive Maran had introduced new variables. 

"Master Hanssen informed me that Dom was the only person present for both Imperial ambushes," Ahsoka said. She saw something shift in Master Wolfe's eyes. 

"And you assumed it was treachery that resulted in that coincidence?" 

"No, Master Wolfe,we had no knowledge of the beacon's existence..." Ahsoka scrambled for words, but the Jedi Master cut her off. 

"Were the beacon to be planted on him without his knowledge, he would have been no more than a victim, a victim who was cutoff from any support for survival." 

These words triggered something within Ahsoka, evoking memories of her time running from the Jedi Council, framed for a murder she did not commit. The tone of her voice surprised her own ears as she said, "Master Wolfe, if anyone understands the potential deceit of the Sith to frame an innocent person, it is me. As I recall from that time, my own pleas to your Master for such consideration fell on deaf ears. I will not repeat his mistake. I withdrew from Gath Mar to protect the few resources aboard this ship and called for help, your help. When Dom ran back to the surface, I did not know what to think. The existence of the beacon suggests that he has been used by the Sith. However he came to possess this beacon, we are on the same side."

Ahsoka watched Master Wolfe for any reaction. Master Wolfe drew several breaths slowly. Ahsoka noticed the thrum of the Kite's engines over the silence. She saw the Jedi Master swallow, as if she were digesting the words literally.   

Master Wolfe spoke, her voice softer than Ahsoka had yet heard though each word was as distinct, "So, do you have any lingering doubts of his innocence?" 

"Master Wolfe, I do not believe he could have betrayed the Alliance. Well, really, I don't believe that he could have betrayed you." Upon hearing this statement, a small smile appeared and disappeared across the Jedi Master's face. Ahsoka balled her fists, forcing herself to continue, "I must share with you though that I have sensed darkness from Dom during his trial. Even before the veils arrived, his intentions have been difficult for me to interpret." 

Master Wolfe took a small step towards her, "In our lineage, we do not embrace light at the expense of darkness. We honor that one cannot exist without the other. I am not concerned that Dom would experience some darkness during such times, nor that you might have had to make impossible decisions in the midst of challenging circumstances. What I do hope to understand is how each of your best paths can be discerned with truth and light as our guides." 

Master Wolfe continued, "Do you believe that he is innocent, Ahsoka?" 

"Yes," Ahsoka replied without hesitation. 

The Jedi Master gave a small nod and glanced around the small crew quarters before heading towards the door. She paused beside Ahsoka, and returned her gaze to meet Ahsoka's eyes. 

"I am very sorry that Master Windu did not hear you in the midst of similar circumstances." 

Ahsoka felt her throat catch and her eyes burn. She glanced down, unable to hold Master Wolfe's gaze.

"If it's any consolation," Master Wolfe continued softly, "You weren't the only young Jedi he got wrong." 

*****

Serena conspicuously avoided checking the time, aware only that Bernie and Ahsoka had been gone longer than she would have predicted. She figured no news was probably good news at this point. Nym had finished repairing the teapot as Serena exchanged small talk with Sahn, the young Maran who had accompanied Nym to the Kite from Gath Mar. It was clear that the Maran's abilities were developing rapidly, and they were eager to discuss the Force with her. The veils limited Serena's ability to assess their potential, but the stories they shared suggested that while Nym was intuitively empathic, Sahn had all the hallmarks of a healer. 

Though Serena was interested to know more, exhaustion was catching up with her. Any hope of actually taking tea together had long disappeared, though the slow-drying polymer may well have cured by this point. The three of them sat in silence at the table, Nym's head bounced each time he caught himself drifting off. Sahn's eyes drooped as she fought the urge to keep them closed.

Serena stifled a yawn, and stood to stretch her legs. Bernie arrived in the doorway with Ahsoka on her heels. Though the original tension seemed to have dissipated, their expressions made clear that their conversation had not been an easy one. Serena searched Bernie's face for any more information, receiving a small smile from the Jedi Master as they made eye contact. Bernie appeared just as exhausted as Serena felt, and Serena thought about what it would be like to fall asleep to that sleepy smile. 

Before Serena could form a judgment about the thought, Bernie spoke, glancing at the Maran, "I'm sure we could all do with some rest. We still have twelve hours to our initial destination. As long as we maintain lightspeed, we should be able to evade detection. Ahsoka and I will take shifts to oversee the auto-pilot. We'll meet back here in ten hours to discuss next steps." Bernie turned to Ahsoka, "Can you please show Sahn and Nym to Dom's quarters?" 

Serena waited until Sahn and Nym left to follow Ahsoka before approaching Bernie. The Jedi gave her another wan smile as she extended an elbow.

"May I escort you to your quarters, Senator?" 

Serena laced her hands around the Jedi's arm, savoring the contact. Without thinking, she rested her head on Bernie's shoulder. 

"How you can even keep your eyes open at this point is a Jedi trick you'll have to teach me at some point." Serena felt Bernie tilt her head to rest it against hers. 

"Running for our lives tends to give me the proper boost of adrenaline," Bernie teased. 

Serena turned her head down slightly and said, "Are we in serious danger, Bernie?" 

She could feel Bernie shake her head, "As long as we continue to move unpredictably, they will be well behind us. Ahsoka and I have a plan that we've agreed to sleep on and discuss with you in the morning." 

Serena accepted the answer, though a part of her brain tugged at her to worry more. She had grown accustomed to the crystal-song, had even spent time wondering how a dark beacon could produce such acoustic beauty. Dropping her hands from Bernie's arm, Serena straightened her neck and gestured to the teapot. "At least let me make you some tea to help you with the first shift."

"I'll be alright, Serena." Bernie placed a hand at her waist to guide her towards the door. Serena felt a rush of energy at the touch, suddenly more alert than she had been for the past hour. 

"All right, all right," Serena said as she let the Jedi maneuver her through the corridor. They stopped at a door labelled "Captain's Quarters". Serena raised an eyebrow at Bernie who laughed. 

"We didn't design the Kite with this many guests in mind. Ahsoka has been occupying the spare quarters, and I can't very well pile you into the crew quarters with Nym and Sahn." 

"Where will you sleep?" Serena asked with more urgency than she'd intended. 

"There's a couch in the lounge that..." 

"No," Serena cut her off, "That's ridiculous, you haven't slept in a bed since we left Coruscant." 

"Really, Serena, it's alright." 

"Promise me that you'll wake me when your shift ends," Serena said, adding, "I'll be very cross if I wake up only to discover that you've ignored my request." 

Bernie said nothing, diverting her attention to key in the access code though Serena observed the smug smile the Jedi was trying to hide. The door slid open and Bernie stood aside, inviting Serena to enter. Serena walked across the threshold and turned to face Bernie who was now leaning in the doorway. It took a moment for Serena to rip her eyes from the Jedi's lanky frame to dark eyes that suddenly sparkled with amusement. Serena could feel the blush rise in her cheeks. Her discretion had faltered on other occasions when tired enough, but she had never openly ogled anyone before.

Bernie had the good grace to offer a simple, "Sleep well, Serena" before heading back towards the cockpit. The door slid shut and Serena found herself suddenly aware of the fact that she was standing in the center of Bernie's private room with no one to judge her for snooping. 

 _You're a member of the Galactic Senate, stop acting the schoolgirl,_  she chided herself. 

Fatigue subdued for the moment, she walked to the small desk tucked against the far wall. All manner of objects were strewn haphazardly across its surface, some difficult to make out in the low light. She picked up a small crystal, which purred on contact with her skin. Startled, Serena made a mental note to ask Bernie to teach her more about the history of kyber crystals and the Jedi. She pictured Jason's detailed questions and immediately thought better of it. Setting the crystal back where she found it, Serena sifted through a stack of commendation letters to find a worn journal that had been left open, a charcoal pencil wedged in the seam of its spine. It was rare to see a handwritten journal, the existence of words on a page simultaneously archaic and intimate. The spare parts scattered across the desk suggested that Bernie used holocrons to dictate logs, so what could the Jedi consider worth writing about? Serena felt that her curiosity was treading dangerously towards a breach of trust. 

 _Go to bed, Campbell. Leave it alone._  

Heeding her conscience, Serena placed the stack back on the journal and turned to find the bed. Whether consciously or unconsciously, her hip brushed against the pile, pushing it onto the floor. As she knelt to retrieve the scattered letters, the open pages of the journal revealed a series of sketches. An attractive, dark haired woman looked up at Serena from the page. Her strong jaw and wide cheeks were balanced by a round nose and a smile that reached her eyes. Jealousy flared up within Serena, but it was quickly replaced by a cocktail of curiosity and insecurity. Who was this woman? And what did she mean to Bernie? Bernie didn't speak often about current relationships other than her bond with Dom. Stories from the past were tailored to Jason's interests at the dinner table, which meant an emphasis on the place and task at hand. The few times Bernie had truly opened up to her had been retrospective of her time in the Outer Rim. Serena had simply assumed that the long periods of solitude had defined the course of the Jedi's life. 

_How arrogant I must be to believe that I am the first person to have turned the great Master Wolfe's head._

Serena thought back to all the long flights, office commutes, and family dinners when she had gone on and on about past relationships. How little she knew about a woman with whom she had shared so much. Serena collected the items, carefully returning them to their place on the desk. Skeptical that Bernie would notice any change in the chaotic assembly, Serena resisted arranging the stack to avoid further temptation.   

Shrugging off her waistcoat, Serena stripped off her trousers and folded her clothes over the back of the desk chair. She shook the linens before sliding into the hard bed, uncertain that the once inevitable relief of sleep would now come.  

*****

Bernie yawned as she opened the door to her quarters. The six-hour shift had taken its toll, and she was knackered. Her eyes adjusted to the dim cabin light, tracing the outline of Serena's form in her bed. The image brought with it a deep sense of satisfaction. 

"Serena," she whispered gently. The slow rise and fall of the senator's breath did not change. 

"Well, I tried," Bernie said softly. Resisting the impulse to climb into bed beside Serena, Bernie padded to the tall, narrow locker beside the bed, wincing at the loud click of the handle. Grabbing the bedroll she had used in the field, Bernie tossed it onto the ground and laid down on the floor beside the bed.   

*****

At the sound of the cabin door, Serena regulated her breathing to mimic sleep and stared at the cabin wall. She ignored Bernie's feeble attempt to wake her, knowing that she was too tired to restrain herself were Bernie to ask what was wrong. Closing her eyes, Serena let her mind focus on the increasingly soothing, ever-present crystal-song.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Mace Windu's lightsaber contains Hurrikane crystals, which are known for their abilities to pierce another's defense. 


	26. Everybody's Looking for Something

Bernie heard Serena stir in the bed above her. She rolled onto her back and propped and arm behind her head before closing her eyes to let herself drift back to sleep. When Bernie opened her eyes again, she could trace the lines of Serena's form in the dim light as the senator dropped from the bed to her knees on the floor beside the bedroll. Bernie blinked a few times, drowsy and curious. Before Bernie could signal that she was awake, Serena lifted the blanket and straddled Bernie at the waist. Bernie's eyes widened, searching the darkness to find Serena's eyes. Her brain registered what was happening, though she felt as if she were watching the scene unfold as a spectator rather than willing participant. 

Decades of training began to kick in, and Bernie's brain scrambled to center herself and understand her impulses. Her lips moved, but no words came out. Serena leaned forward, her body pressed against Bernie's as she brought an index finger to Bernie's lips. Bernie nodded slowly, her brain losing what little grip it had on her behavior as her hips angled instinctively towards Serena's warmth. Bringing the index finger to her own lips as she straightened, Serena began to move her hips slowly until Bernie was mesmerized by the rhythmic undulations atop her. Bernie placed a hand on each of the thick thighs she had only imagined finding herself between. Responding to the touch, Serena's lips parted and her eyes closed partially. Her bottom lip caught on the extended index finger as she drew her hand down her neck to the collarbone. Bernie watched Serena's chest heave, the outline of hard nipples appearing as her arousal heightened. Bernie could feel the pressure of her own arousal, building as her back arched to increase the contact between their bodies. The desire to kiss Serena consumed Bernie. She sat up, tilting her head to meet Serena's lips as she cupped Serena's breast with one hand while pulling Serena towards her with the other. Serena placed a palm on Bernie's chest and pushed her back down, while she teased Bernie with more pressure and a hand now between Bernie's legs. Serena leaned forward slightly, her balance overcome by her desire, as her other hand dropped to Bernie's chest to prop her up. 

Using the momentum to her advantage, Bernie sat forward and grabbed Serena at the waist, channeling the Force to lift their bodies and flip their positions. She heard Serena gasp in surprise as she found herself on her back, bare legs now wrapped around the Jedi's waist as Bernie leaned over her, pelvis pressing into Serena. Bernie looked for consent in Serena's eyes and saw the lust that stared back at her. She pushed forward, her lips meeting Serena's. The sensation of Serena's curves beneath her during the crushing kiss created a sense of delirium, and the intensity of their kisses escalated. Serena bit Bernie's lower lip, and then moved down her neck, nipping as she went. The mild pain of each bite ran down Bernie's spine, amplifying her need. 

Bernie reciprocated by grasping one of Serena's nipples between her teeth through the fabric of Serena's shirt. Serena gasped, the muscles in her legs tightening around Bernie. As one hand supported the small of Serena's back, Bernie used the other to pull Serena's shirt up. How she had longed to spend time with the beauty of Serena's body. But there was an urgency, a fear that warned her not to linger too long in this moment. Serena's hips bucked towards her, and Bernie blazed a trail of kisses down Serena's stomach towards the indentation of her hip bone. She pressed down as she kissed and Serena's body writhed against her. It was clear where they both wanted her journey to end. Bernie let her fingers graze across the purple silk that separated her from swollen lips. Deep moans emanated from within Serena, soft whispers, "Dear gods, yes." 

Bernie looked up, her mind swimming through the stimulus to catch up with her body's direction. Her breaths were shallow, chest tight as she felt the overwhelming urge to let herself indulge in a first release. She took in the shape of Serena's body, the way the woman's chest rose and fell, back arched and head tilted back with eyes closed. Brushing her fingers across the wet fabric of Serena's pants, the sounds of Serena's moans ignited in Bernie an uncontrollable desire to first bring out the screams of pleasure that she was now certain must reside deep within the woman splayed before her. Pushing the thin fabric aside, Bernie stroked Serena with the back of her fingers as she walked a trail of kisses up Serena's inner thigh. Serena's moans became whispers of her name. 

"Bernie," she moaned softly, urgently, her voice filled with the need she clearly felt. 

Bernie dipped her head to submit to Serena's request, channeling her own desire towards Serena's fulfillment. 

"Bernie," Serena said again. Bernie's senses started to get hazy, and Serena's tone started to change. She felt a hand on her shoulder. 

"Bernie. Wake up, Bernie." Serena said. 

*****

"Bernie," Serena repeated, shaking the Jedi's shoulder a bit this time. Bernie inhaled deeply through her nose, eyes fluttering open. Initially disoriented, she sat up quickly once the haze cleared from her eyes. 

"It's okay, Bernie, it was just a dream." Serena dropped her hand from Bernie's shoulder once it was clear that the Jedi was awake and alert. 

"I'm sorry, what?" Bernie said. 

"You must have been having a nightmare," Serena said, thinking about the sounds that pulled her from her own dream. She felt herself blush at the fleeting memory and leaned back a bit to give them both space. 

Bernie seemed even more awkward than usual, so Serena continued, "We have five minutes to get to the meeting with the crew." 

That seemed to get through to the Jedi, who cleared her throat before replying, "Yes, of course. I'll just be a minute." 

Serena took the opportunity to excuse herself. "I'll just go put the kettle on," she said on her way out. Once in the corridor, Serena leaned against the wall, letting her head fall back, which only caused memories of her dream to come rushing forward. The voices of Nym and Sahn drifted down the corridor, prompting Serena to push herself away from the wall's support towards the mess lounge. 

*****

Bernie arrived to the mess a few minutes after the scheduled time to find the dining table surrounded by her motley crew. Nym pushed a mug of tea towards her as she sat, for which she offered a small smile in gratitude. The small group quieted after her first sip, which helped her decision to dive right in. 

"Ahsoka and I have located the Sith beacon, which will transmit our coordinates once we drop from lightspeed," Bernie started. "We have the choice to destroy it, abandon it, or use it against the Sith. Each option carries with it an array of unique risks. Should the beacon be rigged to self-destruct upon tampering, it may generate enough energy to destroy us in the process. Alternatively, we are unsure if the beacon has the capacity to imprint its experiences to its owner upon retrieval, so simply leaving it may compromise key aspects of our intelligence." 

"Which leaves using it to catch its controller," Ahsoka chimed in. 

"Yes," Bernie nodded, "This is the option Ahsoka and I have agreed is worth the inherent risk." In her periphery, Bernie saw Serena raise an eyebrow and sit back slightly. 

"Our plan is to return Ahsoka and the beacon to her ship, where she will implement a series of jumps to create a false trail to an old Jedi outpost. This will provide us the window to return the Kite to the Alliance." 

Nym piped up, "I would like to go with Ahsoka." 

Bernie smiled, "Your courage is noted, but Ahsoka's starfighter seats just one." 

"But who will have her back?" Nym asked. Bernie glanced to Ahsoka, avoiding any eye contact with Serena along the way. 

"I"ll be okay," Ahsoka reassured Nym. "I intend to drop the beacon on the planet where I can observe from a safe distance, just close enough to identify the Sith and high tail it back to the hub." 

"You won't engage the Sith?" Sahn asked to Bernie's surprise. 

"Not if she can avoid it," Bernie shot a cautioning look to Ahsoka. 

"Intelligence gathering only," Ahsoka confirmed. 

Bernie turned to Serena for the first time, "My hope is that we can make it back to Coruscant in the next 48 hours to get you on the Alderaanian transport so that you can prepare for the food security conference on Corellia." 

"That would be much appreciated, Master Wolfe." 

_Master Wolfe?_ Bernie's mind registered the forced formality in Serena's tone, searching for an explanation. Was she offering a professional courtesy in the presence of their guests? Had she picked up on the content of Bernie's dream? Bernie had no idea what it was that she had uttered in the midst of a dream that had felt all too real. It was clear that something had shifted.

**Author's Note:**

> Copyright Disclaimer: Many of the characters and creative content in this piece are taken from or derivative of the Holby City and Star Wars universes. I am grateful for the chance to transform their platforms to be able to tell a new story for the enjoyment of other fans.


End file.
